Erling Haaland is reportedly in talks over a new contract at Manchester City after starting the Premier League season with a bang, but a certain demand in negotiations may pique the interest of both Real Madrid and Barcelona.
The La Liga giants have made no secret of their interest to one day bring the Norwegian striker to Spain, having been in the race to prise him away from Borussia Dortmund before Pep Guardiola’s outfit celebrated a successful pursuit.
He penned a five-year contract when touching down in Manchester, two of which have already passed. Rumours have consistently circulated that a release clause, similar to the one which allowed City to sign Haaland from Dortmund, existed in his current contract.
City would be wise to rid the deal of any exit clause that leaves them powerless if either Real Madrid or Barcelona come calling, but Spanish outlet Marca claim that Haaland wants a release clause included in any renewal, the newspaper’s front page was headlined with a picture of Haaland and the caption: “Renewal and a release clause”.
City want to make Haaland the highest-paid member of their squad, eclipsing Kevin De Bruyne, but that could come with a price as foreign teams may be given the option to trigger a clause that would mean his current club are unable to reject their offers.
Haaland’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta, openly discussed the allure players have of joining Real Madrid in a potential hint last year that her client’s future may lie at the Bernabeu.
“There’s the Premier League and then there’s also Madrid,” she said. “They have something of their own that is also the dream for the players. Madrid keeps this magic going. They don’t have the weekly competitions, but they have the Champions League.”
Pimenta also said that Haaland was “the master of his destiny” and although Madrid especially would have no immediate plans to sign the 24-year-old after finally landing Kylian Mbappe this summer, it is unlikely that they would turn their nose up at the possibility of buying him in the future.
Haaland started the new season in top form, bagging hat-tricks in back-to-back matches against Ipswich and West Ham, after a goal on the opening day of his season away to Chelsea.
But his club form did not translate into success with Norway on Friday, failing to get on the scoresheet as his side drew 0-0 away to Kazakhstan, a dismal start to their Nations League campaign.
He was even given a 2/10 rating in a poll ran by Norwegian outlet TV2, but that score is unlikely to put off the biggest clubs in the world from keeping their eyes peeled at the prospect of Haaland inserting a release clause into any new City contract.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk