Haaland signs bumper new Man.City contract until 2034

Erling Haaland has signed a blockbuster new deal at Manchester City that will keep the prolific forward at the Etihad until 2034, the Premier League champions announced on Friday.

The 24-year-old striker’s existing contract was due to expire in June 2027 but he has now committed his future to the club for the next decade.

The deal is the longest in the Premier League, eclipsing the nine-year contract Cole Palmer signed with Chelsea and Haaland will reportedly earn about £500,000 ($610,000) per week.

A post on the club’s X account read: “Erling’s here to stay! We’re thrilled to announce Erling Haaland has extended his contract at City to 2034.”

The Norwegian made an instant impact after joining City from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 and his overall tally for the club stands at a remarkable 111 goals in 126 games.

Haaland, who had been linked with a move to Real Madrid, said he is “City no matter what” after committing his future to the club, managed by Pep Guardiola.

“I am really happy to have signed my new contract and to be able to look forward to spending even more time at this great club,” said Haaland.

“Manchester City is a special club, full of fantastic people with amazing supporters, and it’s the type of environment that helps bring the best out of everybody.

“I also want to thank Pep, his coaching staff, my team-mates and everyone at the club as they have all helped me so much in the past couple of years. They have made this such a special place to be and now I am City no matter what.”

Instant impact: City’s outgoing director of football Txiki Begiristain said Haaland had made an “incredible impact” since his arrival at the Etihad.

“But in addition to his outstanding natural talent and ability, Erling’s dedication, professionalism, humility and desire to keep getting better sum up what we all strive to achieve at Manchester City,” he added.

“He is one of the finest strikers in world football, but Erling is still very young and will only continue to improve working under Pep and his coaching team. If he works hard, which I know he will, he will create an incredible legacy at this football club.”

Haaland fired 52 goals in all competitions to help the club win a Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup treble in his first season.

He also broke Alan Shearer and Andy Cole’s long-standing shared Premier League record for the most goals scored in a single season, scoring 36, two more than that duo managed.

Haaland scored a further 38 goals in all competitions last season as City won a fourth consecutive league title to extend their dominance of English football.

The length of the new deal means Shearer’s overall record of 260 Premier League goals could be in danger.

Haaland’s decision to commit his long-term future to City is a major coup for the club in a season where they have unexpectedly struggled on the pitch.

They are sixth in the Premier League table, 12 points behind leaders Liverpool and realistically out of the title race.

Haaland has put pen to paper just two months after Guardiola’s decision to sign a new two-year deal of his own.

“I am really confident that we will turn things around,” said the forward. “Things have been difficult as we are so used to winning games, but also it is a challenge for us.

“To get this feeling of hunger inside every single one of us to not look at things easier. Don’t take things for granted, that is an important thing. I will do everything I can to change things around.”

It also appears to be a huge show of faith from the player at a time when the club is waiting to learn the outcome of a major disciplinary case.

Guardiola said on Friday that Haaland’s new nine-and-a-half-year contract at the club is “exceptional news” for the Premier League champions.

Guardiola, speaking just hours after City announced the blockbuster deal, said the length of the agreement showed Haaland’s confidence in the future of the club.

Agence France-Presse