Erling Haaland is set to agree to a new Manchester City contract which will include a release clause, according to a report.
The 24-year-old joined the Citizens in July 2022 after they activated the £51m release clause in his contract at Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund.
Haaland has since established himself as not only a star player at the Etihad Stadium, but as one of the most prolific strikers in world football, scoring a remarkable 97 goals in 102 appearances across all competitions.
The Norway international has won the Premier League Golden Boot award in the last two seasons and has since made an electric start to the new campaign, scoring seven goals in Man City's opening three league fixtures.
Haaland marked his 100th appearance for the club with a goal in City's 2-0 opening-weekend win at Chelsea, before netting hat-tricks in 4-1 and 3-1 victories against Ipswich Town and West Ham United prior to the international break.
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Haaland wants release clause inserted in new contract
Man City's No.9 has three years remaining on his current contract at the Etihad, but Pep Guardiola's side are believed to be determined to tie the striker down to a new-and-improved contract amid reported interest from La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona.
A recent report claims that Haaland is on the verge of putting pen to paper on a new bumper contract following several conversations between the club and the player's agent Rafaela Pimenta.
However, Football Insider reports that contract talks with Man City have been held up by the player's wish to include a release clause in his new deal.
Meanwhile, journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Haaland's proposed release clause will not be aimed at a specific club to activate, and will instead be an open clause for any club to trigger - only a limited amount of clubs with significant finances could realistically manage that, though.
"I'm not sure [Haaland's release clause is] going to be a specific clause for a club, we always had this rumour, but Erling Haaland always had clauses in his contract since Borussia Dortmund," Romano explained via CaughtOffside.
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Man City have 'good opportunity' to agree new Haaland deal
"At Manchester City, there are release clauses in the contract of Erling Haaland, but it's not for a specific club. There will be, I think, a clause for his potential exit, but not only for Real Madrid."
Romano added: "There have been talks already for months between Erling Haaland and Manchester City over a new deal. So this is the priority for City. It's also an open negotiation with Haaland, who is very happy at the club."
"So they've been discussing now for months, almost six, seven months, discussing a new deal for Erling Haaland. So there is an active conversation and I think there is a good possibility, a good opportunity for them to reach an agreement."
Meanwhile, Man City are also set to internally discuss the future of star playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, 33, who is out of contract in the summer of 2025, and key lynchpin Rodri, who has recently been linked with Real Madrid.
Oliver Thomas
