Is Erling Haaland to Real Madrid back on?

Stuart Telford

• 9 Feb 2023 17:03 GMT
• 3 min read

Erling Haaland chose Manchester City over Real Madrid on leaving Borussia Dortmund last summer, but now his current employers have been hit with charges of breaking the Premier League's financial rules…

Haaland only cost City €60m last July, owing to a release clause in his Dortmund contract, and has hit the ground running at the Etihad with an incredible 25 goals from just 20 Premier League outings so far.

But now City, who have won four of the last five Premier League titles, are under investigation, charged with more than 100 breaches of financial rules from 2009 to 2018.

READ: Points deduction? Relegation? Transfer ban? How will Man City be punished for financial scandal?

According to reports in Spain, from AS to Mundo Deportivo, Real Madrid are ready to reignite their interest in the Norwegian goal-machine, but is he any more likely to leave than he was?

The first thing to mention here is that although the charges against City are serious, they could take between two and four years to be completed according to leading British sports lawyer Nick De Marco, per the Times.

Endrick element

Haaland's contract at the Etihad runs until 2027, while there is reportedly a release clause of €200m which kicks in from the summer of 2024 - for clubs outside of the Premier League.

READ: 'Erling Haaland picked the wrong club,' claims Premier League legend

Real, Paris Saint-Germain and some clubs in the Middle East are likely the only teams in world football who could afford such a fee, and with Haaland still approaching the peak of his career, the above could almost be taken as an invitation for los Blancos.

But until then, little is likely to change, so Haaland will keep getting paid and he bangs in the goals in light blue.

Another factor to consider is the fact Real have agreed to sign Endrick from Palmeiras for €72m in the summer of 2024 once the Brazilian prodigy turns 18 - and he only agreed to move to Madrid ahead of PSG and Chelsea on the proviso that there wouldn't be an elite-level No.9 at the club blocking his path to the first team.

Haaland would be that roadblock. Of course, Real can go back on their word, but for those getting excited at seeing the red-hot striker playing in white anytime soon, they shouldn't hold their breath.