Manchester City have reached an agreement for the incoming transfer of Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund.
The free-scoring striker will move to the Etihad at the end of the season, after the Premier League champions activated his €60m (£51.3m) release clause from the Bundesliga club.
A club statement read: “Manchester City can confirm we have reached an agreement in principle with Borussia Dortmund for the transfer of striker Erling Haaland to the club on 1st July 2022. The transfer remains subject to the club finalising terms with the player.”
Haaland will sign a five-year deal at the Etihad and become one of the club’s highest earners, with a salary understood to be in line with that of Kevin De Bruyne.
The 21-year-old’s arrival will signal an end to the search for a new centre-forward in Pep Guardiola’s squad, following last year’s departure of Sergio Aguero and the summer-long chase of Harry Kane.
City believe that by signing a player of Haaland’s age who is already considered one of the best in the world for a cut-price fee, they have justified their decision not to meet Tottenham Hotspur’s £150m asking price for Kane last summer.
The Etihad club are understood to be delighted with the structure of the deal with Dortmund for Haaland, which does not require the £51m transfer fee to be paid up front.
In a statement, Dortmund said that they expect to receive a figure between €35-40m (£30-34m) during the 2022-23 financial year as a result of Haaland’s departure.
Haaland’s father, Alf-Inge, made 47 appearances for City during a three-year spell after joining in 2000 and that pre-existing connection to the club is said to have been a key factor in his son’s decision to join.
Guardiola has always refused to comment on City’s longstanding interest in Haaland but softened that stance in his pre-match press conference before Wednesday’s trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers, effectively confirming that the deal was done.
“Everybody knows the situation but I should not talk because I do not like to talk about the future, next season,” he said ahead of the official announcement.
“At the same time I should say something, but Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City told me I’m not allowed to say anything until the deal is completely done, so I can’t talk, I’m sorry. We’ll have time to talk. I would love to talk but they tell me don’t say anything for the legal actions or the legal situation.”
Haaland moved to Dortmund from RB Salzburg midway through 2019-20 and has since scored at a rate of very nearly one goal per game across almost 90 appearances in yellow and black – 85 in 88 so far – while also hitting 15 goals in 17 caps at senior international level with Norway.
