Erling Haaland 'wants Real Madrid!' Man City striker open to replacing Vinicius Jr as release clause offers path to Xabi Alonso's team

According to journalist Jorge Picon, speaking to Spanish outlet ElDesmarque, the Norwegian striker reportedly has a release clause in his Manchester City contract, though the exact figure remains undisclosed. Haaland signed a record 10-year contract extension in 2024, keeping him at the club until 2034, but Madrid’s long-term interest in him has never waned. Haaland’s entourage has recently hinted that the player "would very much like to play for Real Madrid," with the final decision ultimately resting on the striker’s own desire to make the move from City.

His potential transfer to the Santiago Bernabeu is believed to be closely tied to the future of Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior. Vinicius’ current contract with Madrid runs until 2027, and negotiations over a renewal have been ongoing since the end of 2024. However, no agreement has been reached, particularly regarding his salary demands. Madrid could consider selling him for around €200m (£176m/$230m) to generate the funds needed to sign Haaland. Meanwhile, Paris Saint Germain have shown serious interest in Vinicius, with the winger reportedly attracted to Luis Enrique’s fast, attacking style of play.

Tensions between Vinicius and Madrid manager Xabi Alonso have reportedly reached breaking point, casting serious doubt over the The Brazilian’s future at the club has become uncertain after tensions with coach Xabi Alonso. The relationship began to deteriorate when Vinicius reacted angrily to being substituted during the El Clasico clash against Barcelona. Although Vinicius later issued an apology on social media for his outburst, he notably left Alonso out of his message.

The situation escalated when The Athletic published an article on the same day as his public apology, criticising Alonso’s leadership and discipline. The report quoted an anonymous source close to the team who claimed Alonso "thinks he’s Pep Guardiola" The piece, believed to have ties to Vinicius’ camp, angered the Real Madrid hierarchy.

Matters worsened in the following match against Valencia when Vinicius took a penalty that had been assigned to Kylian Mbappe and missed. His actions were viewed as disrespectful by both Alonso and his teammates, further straining relations within the squad.

Club president Florentino Perez’s patience has reportedly run out after a series of off field issues and the 25-year-old's flamboyant behaviour. With trust between Vinicius and the management now said to be beyond repair, Madrid are seriously considering offers for the forward, which could mark the end of his time at the Bernabeu.

Haaland joined City from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 and has since established himself as one of the most dominant forwards in world football. He played a pivotal role in City’s historic 2022-23 treble-winning campaign, helping the team secure the Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League titles.

This season, Haaland has continued his remarkable form, netting 17 goals in 13 appearances across all competitions. His clinical finishing and relentless consistency have once again made him the focal point of Guardiola’s attack. Under his influence, City currently sit second in the Premier League table, and Haaland remains a key figure in their pursuit of more domestic and European success.

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