Erling Haaland has no Man City relegation exit clause
Erling Haaland does not have a relegation release clause in his Manchester City contract, Spanish outlet Sport reports, even as City face fallout from a reported financial rules verdict. The Norway striker was also pulled from a national-team press conference amid the speculation.
Key Takeaways
- Spanish media say Erling Haaland’s Manchester City deal includes no relegation or similar exit clause.
- Norway withdrew Haaland from a scheduled press conference after reports City were found guilty on 114 of 115 Premier League financial charges.
- BBC gossip also links City, Liverpool and Chelsea with Marcos Llorente and Alessandro Bastoni, while Liverpool weigh a permanent Ronald Araujo move.
- Juventus have been offered Crystal Palace’s Tyrick Mitchell, with Liverpool and Manchester United also interested.
Does Erling Haaland have a relegation clause at Man City?
According to Saturday’s BBC Sport football gossip round-up, citing Spanish outlet Sport, the 26-year-old Norway striker has no clause covering relegation or any other circumstances in his City contract.
TNT Sports’ Paper Round reached the same conclusion from Spanish reporting: there is no suggestion Haaland would be free to leave automatically if City were relegated after losing their financial rules case. The Sun noted the detail emerged after City were reportedly found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges relating to alleged Premier League financial breaches.
That does not end the uncertainty. TNT Sports said Haaland would still be viewed as one of many City stars likely to leave in a firesale if demotion followed, and he has previously been linked with Barcelona and Real Madrid. Sponsors are also said to be examining deals if relegation becomes a risk, the Mirror reported via Paper Round.
Punishment itself remains unclear. The i Paper, cited by TNT Sports, said a large points deduction or heavy fines are among options discussed, while stripping past titles is seen as less likely. City have maintained their innocence and are expected to appeal.
Why was Haaland pulled from Norway’s press conference?
Goal.com reported that Haaland was withdrawn from Norway media duties after the City verdict news broke. The Norwegian Football Federation had listed him for a briefing ahead of a UEFA Nations League meeting with Portugal.
Media manager Morten Skjønsberg told TV 2 that manager Ståle Solbakken, Fredrik Aursnes and Andreas Schjelderup would appear instead. The change came a day after Haaland scored twice in Norway’s 3-2 Nations League win over Denmark.
Goal.com said the reported findings cover alleged breaches spanning the 2009-10 to 2017-18 seasons, leaving a wide cloud over possible sanctions ranging from fines and points deductions to title stripping or relegation.
Which other Premier League transfer rumours surfaced?
Beyond the Haaland contract story, the BBC gossip column flagged several linked names. Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea are interested in Atlético Madrid midfielder Marcos Llorente, 31, who has yet to decide his future. The same three Premier League clubs are monitoring Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni, 27, who is also attracting Barcelona interest, TeamTalk reported via the BBC.
Liverpool are giving serious consideration to making Uruguay defender Ronald Araujo’s loan from Barcelona permanent, Mundo Deportivo said. Juventus have been offered the chance to sign Crystal Palace defender Tyrick Mitchell, 27, amid other interest from Liverpool and Manchester United, according to Tuttosport.
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