Manchester City have reached an agreement in principle over the £51million signing of Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund.
The Norwegian’s release clause made him an enticing option for Europe’s biggest clubs, and i revealed in March that City held the edge after Haaland’s representatives researched which team would best suit his style.
City have agreed to pay his £500,000-per-week wages, as well as significant fees to his agents, but said in a statement on Tuesday that “the transfer remains subject to the club finalising terms with the player”.
Assuming the deal is completed, City will have beaten Real Madrid to the transfer despite Haaland initially preferring a move to Spain.
More on Erling Braut Haaland
Haaland wants to win the Ballon D’Or and compete in the latter stages of the Champions League, and the prospect of working under Pep Guardiola is said to excite him.
The forward also wanted to complete a move before Dortmund’s final Bundesliga game of the season, at home to Hertha on 14 May, in order to say goodbye to the fans.
The 21-year-old joined Dortmund in January 2020 and went on to score 85 goals in 88 appearances, including 21 league goals this term.
Haaland passed a medical on Monday, while City’s announcement came just hours after City boss Guardiola was reluctant to address the transfer due to legal reasons.
“Everybody knows the situation, but I should not talk because I do not like to talk about the future and next season,” he said, ahead of City’s match against Wolves on Wednesday. “We will have time to talk. Not because I don’t want [to], but I can’t.”
Dortmund, meanwhile, said in a statement that the deal was “close” after a “mutual agreement in principle of all parties”, adding: “The contractual details now have to be coordinated and completed.”
Analysis: Haaland adds pressure to Champions League pursuit
City’s top scorer in the current Premier League campaign is Raheem Sterling with 12 goals, and the addition of a striker capable of reaching 20-plus per season should only strengthen City’s pursuit of silverware.
Sharing the goals out has not hampered their league prospects given the title is in their hands with three games remaining, but after a series of missed chances in the Champions League semi-final defeat to Real Madrid, there was a sense a world-class No 9 could have got them over the line.
Man City’s top Premier League 2021-22 goalscorers
- Raheem Sterling – 12
- Kevin De Bruyne – 11
- Riyad Mahrez – 11
- Phil Foden – 9
- Gabriel Jesus – 8
- Bernardo Silva – 8
Haaland may only be 21 but he carries such gravitas, and the weight will be on the Norwegian’s shoulders when Guardiola attempts to win the Champions League next season with City at a seventh attempt.
Guardiola was, however, keen to stress one player does not equal a total solution when asked about the transfer just hours before it was confirmed.
“You know, the new players always help,” he said, “but not one striker is going to resolve our scoring problems that maybe we have.”
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