Will do anything to keep Haaland: Rose

Dortmund coach says striker is still club’s player, anything else is rumour

BERLIN:

Borussia Dortmund coach Marco Rose says he will do everything to keep Jude Bellingham and Erling Braut Haaland at the Bundesliga club as the young stars attract the attention of Europe's top clubs after forging an impressive partnership.

Dortmund, third in Germany's top flight, host Union Berlin on Sunday looking to build on their four-match winning streak, including a 2-1 Champions League victory at Besiktas on Wednesday where Bellingham was man-of-the-match.

The England midfielder, who turned 18 in June, scored the opening goal with a superb finish, then waltzed through the defence to set up Haaland, 21, to claim his 21st Champions League goal in 17 games.

Haaland's contract expires in 2024, a year before Bellingham, but both are targets for Europe's top clubs, leaving Rose to face repeated questions about transfer speculation.

"The two boys (Haaland and Bellingham) are currently players with us... anything else is just rumours," said Rose.

"I will do everything to ensure they stay," added Rose, who mused over whether to "tie them down" to new contracts.

Haaland has scored 66 goals in 66 games for Dortmund, but a release clause in his contract becomes active next year, meaning he could leave for 75 million euros ($88 million).

Magazine Sport Bild claims Dortmund already have Chelsea striker Timo Werner top of their list as a replacement.

Wolfsburg will remain top if they make it five wins from five league games at home to Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.

Fresh from their mid-week Champions League win at Barcelona, second-placed Bayern Munich are favourites at home to Bochum in their first meeting since 2009/10.

Bayern go into the clash buoyed by news that Germany midfielders Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich have extended their contracts.

Bochum coach Thomas Reis says the club has been "waiting 11 years for a game like this" but the visitors need to drastically improve on recent defeats to Hertha Berlin and Cologne to avoid a heavy defeat at the Allianz Arena.