Man City reach major development in Haaland pursuit
Cameron Smith
- 24 Dec 2021 12:25 GMT
- 3 min read
Manchester City’s pursuit of Erling Haaland has reportedly hit a major milestone with the impending sale of Ferran Torres.
The Spanish forward is said to be close to agreeing a move to Barcelona, with the fee set to reach €65 million with add-ons. An initial €55m will go straight into their transfer kitty, and according to Manchester Evening News, it will fund a move for Haaland.
Haaland’s €75m release clause becomes active in the summer, and despite signing Jack Grealish last summer, City believe they’ll be able to afford the Norwegian in 2022.
The sale of Torres, although not yet confirmed, will aid massively in their hunt for Haaland, with the Citizens able to match that release clause without needing to dip into their own money.
TRENDING
Instead, player sales are reportedly how they will finance a deal for Haaland.
MEN reports that Torres will form the bulk of the money needed to make a move, but the permanent sales of Pedro Porro, Ko Itakura, and Morgan Rogers, all of whom are currently on loan with options to buy, will make up the rest of the €75m.
Torres, who has been injured since October, was signed by Man City for a reported €22m back in 2020, so a €65m sale would represent an impressive profit in 18 months for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Smart Business
Manchester City typically operate the transfer market in a simple way - spend big to stay ahead. The multitude of €50m+ players on their books shows how they tend to operate, but this Haaland pursuit deviates away from that.
Rather than simply stumping up the cash for the Dortmund man, and bloating their squad even further, by selling Torres first they’re not only able to secure a major profit, but also earn sustainability.
It’s the kind of smart transfer strategy we haven’t seen them deploy since their rise to the top of English football.
Wise to ignore Kane
Harry Kane to Man City seemed, at many stages, like a done deal over the summer. But, a move couldn’t be agreed, and the England captain stayed at Tottenham.
Less than six months on, and City will be looking back at that decision with glee. Not only has Kane suffered a severe drop-off in form, netting just two Premier League goals in 13 starts, but the opportunity to sign Haaland, essentially for free, has arisen.
Of course, €75m will still need to come out of their pocket, but it would’ve been entirely financed by sales, if everything goes according to plan. Not only is that a better alternative than splashing over €130m on Kane, but City will be getting a better player, with a far better age profile.
At just 21, Haaland could provide City with at least a decade of service, while also delivering right now. Kane, on the other hand, is approaching 30, and certainly doesn’t have the potential for longevity, or the resale value, the Norwegian possesses.
Not only is Haaland a supreme talent, but thanks to the sale of Torres, and the refusal to meet Tottenham’s demands for Kane, City will be able to sign him for free, if they can convince him to join in 2022.
