Erling Haaland, the star striker of Manchester City, has penned a contract extension that will keep him at the club for a significant part of the next decade, securing one of the highest-value agreements in the realm of sports. The prolific goal-scorer has signed a nine-and-a-half-year deal with City, and although the exact financial details have not been made public, sources indicate to ESPN that it ranks among the “most lucrative contracts in sports history.”
Prior to this extension, Haaland was already the second-highest-paid player in the English Premier League, earning £19.5 million annually (£375,000 weekly), just trailing his teammate Kevin De Bruyne, who received £20.8 million (£400,000 per week). This new contract officially marks the longest deal in EPL history, exceeding the recent extension Chelsea granted to Cole Palmer by a few months.
At just 24 years old and standing at 6 feet 1 inch, the Norwegian striker has already etched his name among the greatest goal-scorers in Premier League history. Haaland boasts an impressive 111 goals from 126 appearances for Manchester City, and in his debut season with the club (2022-23), he set a new record for the most goals in a single EPL season, hitting 36.
The timing of Haaland’s contract extension coincides with a challenging period for Manchester City. Despite winning four consecutive EPL titles and six in the last seven years, the team currently finds itself in a slump, ranking sixth in the league and trailing the leaders, Liverpool, by twelve points.
Additionally, while the renowned manager Pep Guardiola has also extended his contract to remain with the club through the 2025-26 season, there is speculation he may exit afterward.
Regardless of who takes the managerial reins in the future, this new deal underscores Haaland’s comfort and commitment to Manchester City for the long term. It’s notable that while he is of Norwegian descent, he was born in Leeds and spent his early childhood in Manchester since his father, Alfie Haaland, played both midfield and full-back for Leeds United and Manchester City.
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