Manchester City win race to sign hot property Erling Haaland for knockdown £64m
Manchester City have won the race to sign one of world football’s hottest properties, Norway striker Erling Haaland, according to widespread reports.
Haaland was also wanted by Real Madrid after scoring 85 goals in 88 games for German club Borussia Dortmund but has opted to move to England this summer.
City are expected to pay £64m for the prolific 21-year-old, who is set to earn a salary of around £20m a year until 2027.
His arrival will bolster an already formidable squad that is currently on course to win the Premier League for the fourth time in five years.
Dortmund would be able to command a higher fee for Haaland but for a clause agreed in his contract allowing him to leave this summer for €75m (£64m). He is estimated to be worth £135m by valuations website Transfermarkt.
He is expected to earn £375,000 per week at City, putting him level with the club’s highest earning player, midfielder Kevin De Bruyne.
Haaland has been prolific throughout his short career, which began at Norwegian club Molde.
He moved to Red Bull Salzburg in 2019, where he scored 29 goals 27 appearances, and then to Dortmund a year later.
The centre-forward has also scored 15 in 17 for Norway’s senior side.
Although he represents his family’s homeland, Haaland was born in Leeds. He is the son of former Leeds, City and Norway midfielder Alf Inge Haaland.