According to a report, Manchester City are preparing to offer Erling Haaland a new deal after a release clause in his contract was removed.
Haaland has enjoyed a superb first season at City, scoring 47 goals in 40 games in all competitions. The 22-year-old is far out in front in the Premier League Golden Boot race with 32 goals, and looks set to smash the division’s single-season goals record of 34.
The Norwegian striker only joined City last summer when the Blues activated the £51.2m release clause in his Borussia Dortmund contract.
Haaland signed a five-year contract reportedly worth over £370,000 per week, but according to The Athletic, City are ready to offer him a new deal.
Journalist explains City’s plan
Although the exact terms of Haaland’s current contract are unknown, The Athletic’s Sam Lee has shared that the star’s deal no longer includes a release clause.
When City beat Real Madrid to the signing of Haaland, much was made about the possibility of the striker one day swapping the Etihad Stadium for the Bernabeu.
When the news broke that Haaland’s City deal included a £150 million release clause – active from 2024 – that could only be activated by non-Premier League clubs such as Madrid, the speculation only increased.
However, on Wednesday Lee reported that the clause was linked to the future of Pep Guardiola, and was therefore removed when the City manager signed a new contract himself in November.
Guardiola only had one year left on his contract when Haaland arrived, but the Spaniard is now set to stay at the club until 2025.
According to the article, Haaland believes City is the perfect place for him to improve as a player, and is pleased that a number of promises the club made to him during negotiations have been kept.
These include promises that City would look after him physically. As a result, Haaland has missed just
It appears that Haaland is more than happy at City, even if playing for Real Madrid is a long-term ambition of his.
