Pep Guardiola has requested his club to negotiate a transfer for Erling Haaland with Manchester City prepared to pay £130 million for the Norwegian.
According to journalist Ekrem Konur, Manchester City have prioritised the signing of Erling Haaland. The Premier League champions are ready to challenge Chelsea while reportedly preparing a massive £130 million bid for the Norwegian striker.
Ekrem Konur suggests Pep Guardiola requested his club to begin negotiations with Borussia Dortmund and sign the striker as a priority. Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak is prepared to shatter records to make a tremendous bid for the Norwegian frontman.
If City makes an official bid, it might turn the race for Haaland into a bidding war, with Chelsea among the competitors. The Blues have the upper hand so far after starting talks with Dortmund weeks ago. The European Champions are prepared to pay as much as £150 million.
Konur also reported Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich taking part in those talks with Dortmund as he tried to convince the striker to move. The Blues are making space in the squad by moving out Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud while adding to their massive outlay from last summer.
Haaland reportedly likes the idea of moving to Chelsea, but with Manchester City interested, he could sit down and evaluate his options. On the other hand, Dortmund is asking for more than £150 million and risk losing the striker for less than half that amount next summer due to a release clause in Haaland’s contract.
Chelsea and City are prepared to pay a premium now, rather than risk having plenty of other clubs queue up to Haaland next summer. If the Stamford Bridge outfit pays upwards of £150 million, City may reconsider their approach. Dortmund will certainly consider selling him this summer if such a huge offer comes in; for now, they are adamant Haaland is staying put this summer.
Manchester City have to replace Sergio Aguero after he departed the club. Gabriel Jesus is an option, but he is not the elite striker Guardiola wants. After flirting with the idea of bringing Harry Kane to the Etihad, the City manager seems to have fixated his preference on Haaland.
Despite Guardiola recently admitting that a big-money transfer could be difficult, the Manchester club has resources for such a huge outlay. And, if City chairman Al Mubarak is ready to pump funds for this transfer, they certainly stand a chance.
As for Haaland, Man City could be an equally attractive option as Chelsea. The race for the striker could be determined by which club acts first. Dortmund will have to entertain these offers or else risk losing him for far less next summer. Chelsea and City are both equally in the race, as the 20-year-old could end up playing in the Premier League next season.