Blow for Real Madrid & Barcelona as Haaland to Man City set to be announced

Karan Tejwani

• Updated: 9 May 2022 09:47 BST
• 3 min read

Erling Haaland is set to complete a move to Manchester City, with official confirmation of the transfer by Manchester City expected this week.

It has long been rumoured that Haaland would move to the Etihad Stadium, as other suitors for the forward pulled out of the race, leaving Pep Guardiola’s side a free run.

Previously, several top clubs around Europe were interested in the move for the forward, with the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich all reportedly eyeing up a potential move for the Norwegian.

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However, the high cost of the operation, which included a significant fee going towards the player’s agent and father, meant that clubs had to cancel a potential move.

Real Madrid felt they had to prioritize other transfers, while Barcelona and Bayern Munich felt that money could be spent elsewhere as they hope to get out of their tough financial situation.

That left Manchester City as the only real option, and the reigning English champions have now agreed personal terms, with Borussia Dortmund also anticipating that they will trigger the buyout clause set on the player.

A move for the player would cost City £64 million, and they have agreed an eye-watering £500,000-a-week deal for the next five years with Haaland.

Haaland has been at Borussia Dortmund since January 2020, and has an impressive record of 85 goals in 88 games across all competitions for the club.

Out of that, 61 out of the 85 goals have come in the Bundesliga – 21 of which have come this season – and he has been Dortmund’s biggest goal threat over the last two-and-a-half years.

In his time there, Haaland has only won one trophy with the club which came at the end of last season when they beat RB Leipzig in the DFB Pokal final.

A move to City would also mean that Haaland follows in the footsteps of his father, Alf-Inge Haaland, who played for City between 2000 and 2003.