Erling Haaland is steaming towards the goals record for a single Premier League season.
Erling Haaland’s agent has slapped him with a stratospheric price tag, but insists that the Manchester City striker would have a way out of the club if he wanted one. The 22-year-old is under contract until 2027 but a select few of Europe’s biggest clubs are sure to come forward before then, assuming his goalscoring exploits continue.
After his move was finalised last summer, debate swirled on whether Haaland would be able to carry his Bundesliga strike rate over to the Premier League. The striker hit 86 goals in 89 matches for Borussia Dortmund, all while still developing his game as a youngster, prompting City to shell out an initial £51m for his services.
The Sky Blues managed to get their hands on him at that price due to a clause in his BVB contract. Having rattled in 31 goals across his first 27 matches in English football, he would easily command a significantly higher transfer fee if he were to cut his City stint short.
There are even rumours of a £178m release clause in Haaland’s contract that becomes active in 2024, with many tipping him to ditch the Etihad Stadium for Real Madrid.
The frontman’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta, claims that her client is happy working under Pep Guardiola but refused to write off the idea of Haaland going to La Liga in the future. She also raised eyebrows by pinning the Norwegian with a price tag that would obliterate the current transfer record.
“Haaland is worth one billion,” Pimenta told Spanish newspaper AS. “I always offer the player a way out so that he is free to decide. Erling in Spain? I want him to be happy and now he is happy at City. I’ve never had a player who wanted to leave a club and couldn’t.”
Haaland is chasing down the record for goals scored in a single Premier League season, which over a 38-game campaign, currently stands at 31. Incredibly, having only played in 19 league matches so far this term, the 6ft 5in marksman is only six goals from equalling the milestone.
While his achievements in front of goal could set him apart from any striker that has set foot in the Premier League, Guardiola remains adamant that there could be more to come from the youngster, not least by finding a way to increase his involvement in build-up play.
Speaking after the 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford last month, the City boss said: “At the moment we have that process because when teams are sat in their 18-yard box, it is more difficult, but we have to find him a little bit more, yes.
“[Against United] he had enough touches but it’s true that when you are looking at areas and you have to look at him. But we will do it.” The so-called one-billion-euro man could be back in action on Sunday as City travel to north London for a mouthwatering match-up against Tottenham.
SOURCE: express.co.uk
