It has been reported that Erling Haaland does not have a release clause in his new contract with Man City, but AS understands this is not the case.
“I'm saying this now, it will probably be a big headline,” Manchester City striker Erling Haaland said last year when asked about ties with Real Madrid. “Tomorrow you never know what the future will bring.”
This was the latest occasion where Haaland, who signed a new nine-and-a-half-year contract with City this week, has publicly made a nod to Los Blancos. Madrid, a club he always wanted to join, never disappeared from the Norwegian's radar.
At the time, in March 2024, Haaland's extension talks with City were already underway and Kylian Mbappé had announced he was leaving Paris Saint-Germain. Although it was an open secret that Mbappe would end up at Madrid, the transfer had yet to be confirmed, and Haaland still had a glimmer of hope of realizing his dream by pulling on the white shirt that summer.
Haaland still has “the key to the door” at Man City
The 24-year-old has always made sure to leave the door open for a move to Madrid. Following the advice of his agent Rafaela Pimenta, Haaland has consistently strived to keep the key to his future in his own hands. And that hasn't changed now, despite signing a long-term contract with City.
Although initial reports in Britain indicate that Haaland's new City deal does not contain a release clause, this newspaper has been told by reliable sources that the player could leave the Etihad Stadium from around half of his deal in return for a significant compensation. sum. Indeed, without such an exit option, there is no way the Norway international could have signed with the Premier League champions until 2034.
How much does Haaland's City release clause cost?
Haaland's exact buyout has not yet been revealed, but what is known is that it will come into effect from the summer of 2029 or 2030, and will decrease in size as the player goes deeper into his contract.
“I am for freedom,” Pimenta said in an interview with AS in February 2023. “It's my fight. I always say that one of my priorities as an agent is to provide the player with what I call 'the key to the door'. When the player goes to a club, I do everything I can to create the conditions so that the key to the door is in his hands. And what if you can't be there tomorrow because you don't like it, or because they don't pay you well, or because your wife wants to live in Paris? Well, you're leaving, aren't you? I don't like it when my player is not free to decide.”
Although a move for Haaland to Madrid has not yet taken place, this has to do with factors other than the player's own wishes; he always wanted to go to the Bernabéu.
In the summer of 2022, Haaland chose to join City from Borussia Dortmund on the advice of his then agent, the late Mino Raiola, who disagreed with Madrid president Florentino Pérez. Their relationship had previously broken down after failed talks over a previous Madrid target, French midfielder Paul Pogba. When Haaland moved to the Premier League, Madrid's focus was on pursuing Mbappe, and Raiola felt the Norwegian's career development would be better served at City, where he would likely be the main decoy.
Finances have also proven to be a major stumbling block for Haaland's move to Madrid. The player owns 100% of his image rights, but at the Bernabéu players are expected to share them with the club.
Moreover, Los Blancos already have two players with 'galáctico' salary packages – Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior both earn around €15 million ($15.5 million) a year after tax – and are likely to add a third in the near future. In the wake of his impressive impact since joining Madrid from Dortmund in the summer of 2023, Jude Bellingham is keen to join Mbappe and Vinicius in the squad's top salary bracket.
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