Real Madrid’s Haaland transfer plan still on track despite Man City comments

“It’s not true. He doesn’t have a release clause for Real Madrid or any other team. It’s not true, that’s all I can say,” Pep Guardiola said when asked about his striking sensation, Erling Haaland. Then he said more.

“We can’t control the rumours and what people say. We can only worry about things that we can control. The important thing is that he has adapted really well. I have a feeling that he’s incredibly happy here. And we will try to make him and the other people who want to stay here happy. This is the most important thing.

“At the end, what’s going to happen in the future? Who knows? Nobody knows. The important thing is that he’s happy, he’s perfectly settled and loved by everyone.”

Guardiola has a colossus in his hands at Manchester City and his statements after his footballer’s latest display in the Champions League (he has, as a professional, 28 goals in 22 matches in the competition), turned the football market upside down.

Does Haaland have a release clause at Man City?

In the offices of Real Madrid, the current situation of Haaland, which Guardiola tries to air according to his own version, is of little concern. The news that has reached the board, through third parties, is that the clause that Guardiola tries to deny is signed and may allow the Norwegian to leave City, after two years, for 180 million euros.

“There is nothing specific signed,” insisted the City coach. A refusal similar to that of Hans-Joaquim Watke, CEO of Borussia, whenever he was asked about the Haaland case there. “There is no clause”, he repeated over and over again to take the pressure off his player back then, and on the club itself, while trying to renew his contract by removing that clause.

But the reality then, like now, was very different. Haaland had a clause signed at Dortmund that allowed him to leave for 60 million, which City gladly triggered last summer. To that we only had to add 30 million (in two equal payments) in commission to the player’s father and the company of the late Mino Raiola, his agent. What has transpired among the big clubs in Europe that dominate the market, and also for Real Madrid, is that Raiola, just as he did with Haaland in Salzburg and Dortmund, included a release clause after the first two years of the contract that would be activated under certain conditions.

Real Madrid’s position on Haaland

This information that I relay to you explains why within Real Madrid there is total calm about the Haaland case. The strategy continues as planned. Benzema will win the Ballon d’Or in a few days and will extend his contract for another year until 2024. Then it will be time for Real Madrid to explore the contractual possibilities that would allow them to sign Haaland. But of course, before doing that the club will have to convince the player of the move. That will be key. Persuading him that the sunny Spanish capital is more attractive than Manchester and that what is on offer there for his career and prestige, despite the fortunes being thrown his way by the City oil-slickers, is so much better.

Haaland wanted to come to Los Blancos last summer, but he was aware (advised by his father, a former City player, and by Raiola) that, with Benzema in place, there was little room to develop in the short term. However, the contacts between Madrid, Raiola and his father were maintained until the very last moment to keep the door of the Bernabéu open for the striker.

It will only be a matter of re-analyzing the situation when 2024 arrives. Haaland has a contract until 2027, but Madrid knows the path that leads him away earlier.