- Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has a release clause in his contract.
- The 22-year-old scored twice against Copenhagen in the Champions League.
- Guardiola denied rumours that Madrid engineered an exclusive deal to sign him.
Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, refuted rumours that Erling Haaland has a particular release clause in his contract.
That allows him to join Real Madrid in 2024.
After the 22-year-old Norwegian striker continued his stellar start at City by scoring twice against Copenhagen in the Champions League, Pep Guardiola denied rumours that Madrid had engineered an exclusive deal to recruit him.
“That isn’t true. Real Madrid or any other team do not have a release clause for him, according to Guardiola.
“Do I find the rumours to be grating? Without a doubt, no. You cannot control rumours or people’s conversations, so we must constantly focus on what we can control.
“It’s not true. He has not got a release clause for Real Madrid or any other team,” Guardiola said.
“Am I annoyed by the rumours? No, absolutely not. Rumours, and people talking, you cannot control it – so always we have to worry about what we can control.
“The important thing is that he has adapted [since joining City] really well. I have the feeling he is incredibly happy here, and this is the most important thing.”
Given Haaland’s remarkable City run—he has now scored 19 goals in his first 12 games since joining from Borussia Dortmund in the summer—it is not surprising to hear that the Spanish powerhouses are interested in signing him.
Haaland’s performance in Wednesday’s overwhelming 5-0 victory over the Danish club shocked even teammate Jack Grealish. It was the most recent illustration of his remarkable ability to score.
