[Saba Sports News] According to Spanish sports outlet AS, Norwegian international Erling Haaland’s contract with Manchester City includes a release clause. Haaland’s current deal with City runs until the summer of 2034, yet once the contract reaches its midway point, the striker can depart by paying a substantial release fee, whose value will gradually decrease year on year.
Juan Román Riquelme, a presidential candidate for Real Madrid, announced ahead of the June 7 election that Haaland would join the club should he win the vote. The Norwegian forward has previously spoken favourably about Real Madrid in public appearances. In response, Haaland’s agent Rafaela Pimenta commented that she respects the player’s free will and confirmed athletes retain the freedom to decide their future. In her 25 years working in football transfers, she has never encountered a case where a player’s intended transfer fell through against his wishes.
Nevertheless, Riquelme’s pledge faces tangible hurdles. Haaland holds full ownership of his image rights, which clashes with Real Madrid’s established operational practices. On top of that, Los Blancos already have three squad members on maximum wages: Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.
In my view, back in the summer of 2022, Haaland opted to sign for Manchester City instead of Real Madrid on the advice of his late agent Mino Raiola, who had a strained relationship with Florentino Pérez Rodríguez. Following Raiola’s passing, the landscape has shifted entirely. Having collected all major honours with City, Haaland’s prospective move to Real Madrid is now a feasible scenario.