Manchester City looked to have clinched the gold medal in the race for Erling Haaland.
The 21-year-old is on course to link up with Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium next season, with reports suggesting that the Citizens have struck a deal to make Haaland the Premier League's highest-paid player, pocketing £500,000 per week.
The Borussia Dortmund striker has been one of world football's most sought-after stars for the past two years, with Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain linked with interest, as agent Mino Raiola touted his client around the globe. But the Mail now claim that City have earned his signature, ready to pay his bargain £68million release clause.
Haaland's addition not only means the Premier League champions are even stronger, but adds what many believe to be Pep Guardiola 's missing piece. The Citizens have been heavily criticised for their lack of a recognised No.9 this season after failing to prise Harry Kane away from a stubborn Tottenham Hotspur last summer.
Shifting their focus to the Norwegian and seemingly succeeding, Haaland is now set to follow in the footsteps of his father, Alf-Inge, by playing for City from the 2022-23 campaign. The former Red Bull Salzburg starlet's presence will strike fear into the hearts of opposition defenders, having scored an incredible 82 goals in 85 games in just over two years at Dortmund.
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While Guardiola has already added Argentine hotshot Julian Alvarez to his attack, the more experienced Haaland will be a ready-made successor to Sergio Aguero, a mantle that Gabriel Jesus has failed to live up to since the Etihad legend's departure in the summer of 2021.
But not only is Haaland set to become part of Guardiola's side, the Citizens have been linked to two more promising transfer targets who they will now turn their attention to. With club captain Fernandinho recently announcing that he does not intend to extend his nine-year stay in east Manchester, Real Sociedad playmaker Mikel Merino has been tipped to be his heir.
According to El Confidencial, the 25-year-old has caught City's eye and the club are willing to pay his £50m release clause. Merino is familiar with the Premier League, too, having spent time on loan at Newcastle United in 2017 before excelling in his homeland of Spain and impressing top teams.
And speaking of showing the best in the business what you can do, RB Leipzig ace Christopher Nkunku has been linked with a switch, having netted a hat-trick when the two teams met earlier this season in the Champions League. The versatile forward possesses the ability to play anywhere across Guardiola's forward line, having made his name as a creator prior to hitting 23 goals in all competitions this term.
Nkunku, who has still managed 15 assists to boot, is valued at £54million and certainly fits City's profile when it comes to signings. The Paris Saint-Germain academy graduate is only 24 and rapidly improving, having recently broken into the senior International setup for France.
Whoever comes through the Etihad doors this summer will line up alongside a host of top-tier stars. With Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez continuing to show their class as seasoned professionals, younger stars such as Phil Foden, Ruben Dias and Rodri look more than capable of maintaining the Citizens' success for years to come.
Crucially, Guardiola looks set to stick around for at least another season - having shut down rumours of him taking the Brazil job after the World Cup later this year - which may well prove to be the key in fending off Jurgen Klopp 's rampant Liverpool.
One thing is for certain, City have the cash to spend big this summer, a luxury which their rivals on Merseyside struggle to compete with. While Chelsea are in limbo due to their impending takeover and Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur still rebuilding, Haaland and co could easily be lifting the Premier League trophy in sky blue next May.
