Man City to REMOVE Haaland's release clause

Stuart Telford

• 10 Oct 2023 09:56 BST
• 3 min read

Manchester City have offered Erling Haaland a new contract which will remove his release clause, in an attempt to ward off interest from Real Madrid.

Haaland scored a Premier League record 36 goals from 35 games last season after arriving for just €60 million from Borussia Dortmund, and has added another eight from eight this term.

He and his father - former City midfielder Alfie - had devised a points system for Haaland's next move, and Real came second to City simply by virtue of the fact that they still had Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema, a player in Haaland's position, on their books at the time.

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But Madrid's interest in the player has rarely dissipated, and the €200m release clause in Haaland's City contract had simply emboldened them. But it should soon be removed.

City 'removing the release clause'

"The 23-year-old has a contract that runs until 2027, but that does reportedly include a €200 million release clause that will decrease annually through the duration of the deal," report ESPN.

"With that in mind, City are ready to offer the Norway international an increase on his wages and add an extra year to the contract, while also removing the release clause."

READ: Mbappe to Real Madrid hinges on Man City star

City are reportedly keen to get the new deal signed in the coming months. Haaland is currently the second-highest earner at the English champions after Kevin De Bruyne, but the new deal could lift him to £600,000 a week, £200k more than the Belgian.

Real are expected to move for Haaland regardless, but they may now have to break the world transfer record - still Neymar's 2017 move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain for €222m - if they are to get their man.

Haaland's former Dortmund teammate Jude Bellingham is Real's 10-goal top scorer this season, but he is a midfielder by trade, while Benzema has since left for Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League.