Strategy is at the heart of the project. Long term vision, they say internally at the club. This is how Manchester City built the long process for a perfect signing like Erling Haaland.
It was more than difficult with many top clubs involved like Real Madrid, FC Bayern, Barcelona and more... but Man City have been excellent in the strategy and now they enjoy a star who can write the history of modern football.
His goals multiply every weekend and it is important to tell some secrets of this story between Erling Haaland and Manchester City.
In particular, one makes the club's board proud: the real fee paid by Man City to Borussia Dortmund for Haaland is € 60m. Yes, €60m and not €75m or €80m as mentioned for years in the international media when its release clause was discussed.
Manchester City have triggered the clause for incredible conditions thanks to a perfect job on player side; Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano maintained constant contact with Haaland team, father and representatives, while Borussia Dortmund received €60m as fixed fee already established in the contract.
Obviously, Man City had to pay an important commission to the player's side and his representatives; but it's fair to say that it's something absolutely normal in football.
In all transfers in the top leagues of the world there are commissions for agents, so it is understandable that it was also included in this Haaland deal.
Certainly, within Man City they are convinced that they have completed a historical signing because Erling has already had an excellent impact are not in terms of goals scored.
16 goals as Man City player, 11 games and it’s October 2. 🔵🤖 #Haaland
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 2, 2022
…please, @Twitter, provide us an edit button just for tweets during Erling Haaland games. pic.twitter.com/8oIHsy7IKt
Sources close to Manchester City guarantee that Erling is beloved in the Citizens' locker room: all teammates love him, they consider him a funny guy and a perfect professional as well as a striker capable of winning games with his goals.
Haaland has been able to fit into a group full of stars with humility and intelligence, the result is an explosive mix with his "goals-killer" talent that makes a difference even in the best league in the world.
It is also to be confirmed that there is a release clause within Erling Haaland's contract with Manchester City.
Yes, the clause has been included as Haaland side always wanted also when he signed with Borussia Dortmund and this is still the case also with Man City.
It means that the future could be elsewhere, of course; but at the same time, all the sources close to Erling ensure that it is not a topic to be discussed now because the player is super happy with Manchester, the manager, the staff, the teammates, the fans...
There is nothing to think about in 2023 and probably not even in 2024, let's see what happens in the future but Haaland is 100% focused on Manchester City.
"It's the best sporting project in the world", he said on the documentary that revealed his choice in the second week of April after many meetings and proposals.
Of course, his feeling with another present and future star like Phil Foden is another factor in this excellent start to the season.
.@PhilFoden is the youngest player to score 50 goals under @PepTeam! ✨ pic.twitter.com/f4AOB6OG4T
— Manchester City (@ManCity) October 3, 2022
Phil and Erling are friends and know they are among the top stars for the next 10/15 years in football, Manchester City are also ready to extend Foden's contract to avoid big official bids by other top clubs in the next few years.
After negotiations lasting more than a year, Man City have an agreement in principle with Foden side and his agents to extend the contract for the next five years; only some details are missing on the image rights before proceeding to the signing stage.
The last steps of a long negotiation but with a very clear intention on both sides: Foden loves Manchester City and does not want to leave, the club wants Phil to be a face of the project in the coming years and a development model for the Academy of the club where there are many exciting talents for the future.
Waiting for the signatures, Foden is ready to stay at Manchester City on a long-term project and Erling Haaland has already made the whole world fall in love with his alien goals in the Premier League. And it seems to be just the beginning...
