Erling Haaland 'makes Manchester City exit decision' amid Premier League legal battle

The 23-year-old joined the Citizens from Borussia Dortmund in July 2022 for £51m and he has since scored a remarkable 90 goals in 98 appearances across all competitions.

Haaland netted 38 times in 45 outings last season, including 27 strikes in 31 Premier League games to win a second successive Golden Boot and fire Pep Guardiola's side win an unprecedented fourth consecutive top-flight title.

The Norway international has won a total of five trophies during his successful two-year spell at the Etihad and was a key figure in the Man City side that celebrated winning a historic treble, including the Champions League, in his debut campaign at the club.

Haaland is under contract on the blue side of Manchester until the summer of 2027, but speculation continues to swirl over a possible exit in the near future amid reported interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Haaland coy on Man City contract talks

Recent reports have suggested that Man City are determined to tie Haaland down to a new-and-improved contract over the coming months and increase the £175m release clause in his current deal.

At the beginning of this month, Haaland refused to comment on reports suggesting that the Citizens are looking to extend his contract.

Speaking about his future during an interview with TV2, Haaland said: "I've had two fantastic years, and have three years left. That's really all I can say."

Pressed on whether he has held talks about signing a new deal, Haaland added: "That's all I can say, what I just said."

Haaland planning to leave Man City in 2025?

Although Haaland has reiterated his happiness at Man City on multiple occasions, Diario AS reports that Haaland is looking to leave the club next summer.

The report adds that the striker's potential exit could correspond with the possible departure of Guardiola, who has just a year left on his deal and recently admitted that he is "closer to leaving than staying" at the Etihad.

It has also been claimed that Real Madrid would not look to lure Haaland to the Santiago Bernabeu in 2025 due to financial reasons and the fact that they have now completed the signing of top target Kylian Mbappe.

The uncertainty over Haaland's future comes at a time when Man City are awaiting a hearing in front of an independent commission regarding the 115 Premier League charges against them over alleged financial irregularities.

Man City have also brought a separate legal case against England's top division, challenging the validity of their Associated Party Transaction rules.