Manchester City will demand a premium fee for Erling Haaland even if they suffer the extraordinary scenario of Premier League relegatio.
As per Football Insider, Manchester City’s stance on Erling Haaland remains unchanged. The 26-year-old is attracting interest from Arsenal and Real Madrid, but neither club should expect City’s potential financial difficulties to create a bargain opportunity.
Haaland is under contract at the Etihad until 2034, leaving City with considerable leverage despite the uncertainty surrounding the club. He joined from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 for €60 million, developing into one fo the world’s most feared marksmen.
City refuse to sell Haaland for cheap
There is an acceptance within the club that Haaland would be highly unlikely to spend a season playing Championship football. That, however, does not mean they are preparing to surrender their most valuable asset for anything below his market value.
Several leading European clubs are reportedly monitoring the situation, while Arsenal and Real Madrid have already made contact regarding the Norwegian. Haaland’s contract is particularly important. He signed his current long-term agreement in January 2025, and it would appear that there is no relegation release clause that would allow him to walk away for a predetermined fee.
The same applies to several of City’s other senior players and that gives the club considerably more control over negotiations, even if relegation were eventually confirmed.
Arsenal and Real Madrid face a major financial hurdle
For Arsenal, Haaland would represent an enormous investment on top of the transfer fee itself. With Viktor Gyokeres being inconsistent since arriving from Sporting CP last year, the Manchester City will be an upgrade. Real Madrid, meanwhile, have maintained an interest in the striker for some time and could view a potential change in circumstances at City as an opportunity.
But City are not expected to cooperate simply because their situation becomes complicated. The Norwegian’s performances also strengthen their negotiating position and a player of Haaland’s profile would generate competition between Europe’s wealthiest clubs, making it difficult for an interested side to dictate the price.
City’s stance is that if Haaland leaves, it will be because a club meets their valuation rather than because relegation forces their hand. The fascinating part of this situation is that relegation would probably change Haaland’s circumstances without necessarily changing City’s negotiating position as dramatically as some might expect.
Of course, keeping a player of his stature in the Championship would be extremely difficult, and City would have to consider the wider sporting and financial consequences. But a long-term contract without a relegation clause gives them leverage.
If Arsenal, Real Madrid, or another European heavyweight genuinely want Haaland, they cannot simply wait for City to panic and accept a reduced fee and there would almost certainly be competition.
From City’s perspective, the priority would be turning an unwanted consequence into the biggest possible financial return. For the buying clubs, meanwhile, the challenge is straightforward to convince them that their offer is worth giving up one of the most important players in the squad, even under the most difficult circumstances.
