Manchester City are allegedly close to completing the signing of Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland.
The English club has jumped ahead of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the battle to recruit the 21-year-old, and he will now wear the sky-blue City shirt that his father donned during his playing days.
According to The Athletic, Haaland’s transfer to the Etihad Stadium is a “done deal” that will be finalised this week.
Separate sources have told BBC Sport that a £63 million trade for the Norwegian has been finalised, with an announcement anticipated shortly in Germany.
The city is refusing to comment on the widespread reports.
They insist the transaction is done privately, albeit their definition of “done” may differ from the media’s, given the fine detail involved in such big-cash moves.
Manchester City and Haaland agreed on personal terms in April, paving the stage for discussion between the clubs.
Manchester City are ready to tell Borussia Dortmund that they will pay the price necessary to trigger the striker’s contract release clause, which is estimated to be 75 million euros (63 million pounds).
If all goes as planned, Haaland will be confirmed as a Manchester City player this week and will then join up with his team for pre-season training.
The move would be one of the most significant of the summer.
Haaland began his career with Bryne and Molde in his home Norway before moving on to Red Bull Salzburg for a year.
Where, he scored 29 goals in only 27 games for Salzburg to win a transfer to Dortmund in January 2020, where he has since scored 85 goals in 88 appearances across all competitions, while also giving 23 assists!
Despite an injury-plagued 2021-22 season, Haaland has managed to score 28 goals and give eight assists in just 29 appearances for Dortmund this season.
Last year, he became the youngest player in Champions League history to score 20 goals!
Prior to his death, sports agent Mino Raiola was involved in the conversations, with associates carrying the process to its completion.
Even though City is on the verge of a second consecutive Premier League victory without a traditional center-forward, Guardiola has always expressed a desire for one.
Last summer, City attempted to get Harry Kane from Tottenham, but Spurs chairman Daniel Levy refused to sell.
And, with two years remaining on Kane’s contract, Haaland is a less difficult transaction to close due to his release clause.
In 121 league games for Molde, Red Bull Salzburg, and Dortmund, the 21-year-old has scored 92 league goals, and this tally is inevitably set to increase once he joins the free flowing, attack minded Manchester City!
