In their arrogance, which is great at both Barcelona and Real Madrid, they think that no one but them has what it takes to sign the world’s best striker Erling Haaland, but they do exist – Even if Manchester City are in trouble and are punished, the Norwegian international will not come on the cheap. A sum of 180 million euros or more automatically narrows down the list of relevant clubs.
Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool and Bayern Munich all have money and previously shown interest, but Sky Sports are confident that the game, if Manchester City are deprived of enough points to be relegated, the two La Liga giants will be at the top of the current next club list.
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Erling Haaland at the moment is for sale. The 26-year-old striker is under contract with Manchester City until 2034, which means that any attempt to move him out of the Etihad would require negotiations with the English club, even in a relegation scenario.
Erling Haaland, the main goal for Barça and Real Madrid
Information from England places Erling Haaland as the key player who is being closely monitored from Spain. Both FC Barcelona and Real Madrid are keeping an eye on the potential sporting consequences of the events against City.
The context has changed following reports this week that claimed that the independent commission found 114 of the 115 financial violations against the club valid. The sanction has not yet been determined, and there is an opportunity to appeal the decision.
The next steps will be crucial in determining the sporting implications. Possible scenarios discussed during the process include fines and points deductions, but there is still no official sanction to assess the impact on the first team.
A significant deduction could put Manchester City in a critical sporting situation. It is this hypothetical scenario that has prompted several European clubs to monitor the contract status of their key players.
Haaland’s contract until 2034 protects Manchester City
The main obstacle to a possible move is Erling Haaland’s contract. The Norwegian extended his contract in January 2025 for ten seasons, tying him to Manchester City until the summer of 2034.
The deal has removed much of the uncertainty that previously surrounded the advance. Moreover, City players would not automatically become free agents if the club were relegated due to a possible sanction, which required Barcelona and Madrid to negotiate a transfer.
Haaland is not the only player linked with the Spanish clubs. Players such as Josko Gvardiol, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Elliot Anderson, Enzo Fernández and Rayan Cherki are reportedly also on their radar from England.
The results depend on the final decision of the process. The commission will have to determine the penalty, and both the Premier League and City will have avenues of appeal if they disagree with the decision.
FC Barcelona is waiting for the City case to be resolved
For FC Barcelona, any potential transfer for Haaland faces clear financial challenges due to the length of his contract. There is currently no contractual situation that obliges the English club to negotiate his exit or a near expiry date that would weaken their negotiating position.
Real Madrid find themselves in a similar situation. The reported interest from England is currently limited to monitoring a possible move in Manchester, with no evidence of offers or open negotiations for the striker.
The coming weeks will determine whether it is possible to make progress. Until the sanction is made public and the appeal process is ongoing, Erling Haaland remains linked to Manchester City until 2034, with any transfers from Barcelona or Madrid depending on the final consequences of the case against the English club.
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