Erling Haaland has included a release clause in his Manchester City contract which can be activated in two years’ time.
Reports in Germany on Thursday claimed the figure for the release clause is £128million, but Sportsmail understands it is significantly higher than that.
City confirmed the £51m signing of Haaland from Borussia Dortmund earlier this week, beating a host of European rivals to his signature ahead of the summer transfer window.
After scoring 85 goals in 88 appearances for Dortmund, the 21-year-old striker had become one of the most sought-after players in world football, but City were quickest to pounce on the cut-price release clause which recently entered his contract.
Erling Haaland has a release clause in his Manchester City deal which can be activated in 2024
Pep Guardiola is confident his arrival this summer will help the Premier League champions ‘score more goals’ next season, but German publication Bild claims he may not be sticking around in Manchester for too long.
Before his death at the end of April, Haaland’s agent Mino Raiola is reported to have agreed a release clause with City, which will come into play in 2024. The Bild report details a clause of £128m but it is understood to be significantly higher than that.
The Norwegian was also heavily linked with a switch to Real Madrid before joining City, meaning the Spanish club and other possible suitors will have the chance to prise him away from England if they see fit in two years’ time.
With Karim Benzema at the peak of his powers and Kylian Mbappe potentially on his way to the Bernabeu this summer, Madrid did not need to make an immediate move for Haaland.
City sealed a £51million deal to sign Haaland from Borussia Dortmund earlier this week
Before his death, agent Mino Raiola is said to have agreed a release clause with Man City
Though when his City release clause becomes active in 2024, Benzema’s contract would have expired the year before.
While he may earn himself an extension in the meantime, the Frenchman will be in the twilight of his career at 37 and Haaland may become a bigger priority for Los Blancos.
Regardless, Guardiola is delighted to have added Haaland to his City ranks and expects their new recruit to fit into their style of play when he arrives this summer.
‘Big congratulations to the club, he is signed for the next years,’ the Spaniard said on Wednesday. ‘He is a young talented player, I’m very pleased he decided to come and join us.
‘Next season we are going to work together and hopefully he can settle, help him to settle as soon as possible in terms of Manchester and a house. I am pretty sure he is going to adapt quickly to the way we want to play.
Haaland could well depart the Etihad for that figure in 2024, which could interest Real Madrid
‘We have to try to play good. I never thought the whole defensive situation depends on a central defender, nor the goals we score should depend on a striker.
‘He has scored a lot of goals in his career and we are going to help him through the game have more chances to score goals.
‘We are not going to give him responsibility to score goals. We have to win games. To win, we need everyone working the right way to arrive as much as possible and as much as we can arrive there we can do it.’
Source: Daily Mail
