City Xtra
·21 November 2024
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Yahoo sportsCity Xtra
·21 November 2024
Officials at Manchester City hold confidence of reaching a second major contractual agreement in the coming weeks after positive news regarding Pep Guardiola.
The Etihad Stadium’s most senior members of its hierarchy were handed the ultimate boost during the last week of the November international break, as Pep Guardiola agreed to extending his stay at the club by up to a further two years.
Manchester City had initially decided to hand Guardiola the time to make a decision on his future without any pressure from within the club, largely as a mark of respect for his outstanding achievements over the course of his last eight full seasons.
And having weighed up his options alongside input from close friend and Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, as well as his immediate family, a decision was taken to stay for an extra year with the option of an additional 12 months.
And as Manchester City reach an agreement for the ultimate final piece in their complex jigsaw, they have seemingly set their sights on another blockbuster agreement to finalise in the near future, with confidence on the matter growing.
That is according to The Mirror, who report that City are becoming ‘increasingly confident’ that Erling Haaland will sign a new contract, with talks ongoing over an improved deal worth £500,000 per week – potentially making him the highest-paid player in the Premier League.
It is claimed that during the latest negotiations with Haaland’s family and agent Rafaela Pimenta, Manchester City’s hierarchy received a positive response to the lucrative package featuring an additional two years.
However, the matter of an existing £150 million release clause still needs to be resolved, according to the report, with City wanting it removed entirely whilst Team Haaland want the term to remain, with an increased value potentially being a solution for both parties.
Despite some minor fitness struggles during the opening weeks of the season, and yet still recording outstanding goalscoring figures for the club, Erling Haaland opted against a withdrawal from Norway national team duties over the last fortnight.
And that decision was rewarded through a hat-trick for his country in their UEFA Nations League meeting with Kazakhstan, further extending his status as the all-time leading goalscorer in a Norway shirt, despite being just 24 years of age.
Manchester City will be hoping that Haaland extends that goalscoring form into his club duties this weekend, as Pep Guardiola’s side return to action with a Premier League meeting against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday evening at the Etihad Stadium.