Manchester City

Manchester City

Premier League • England

Shearer backs Erling Haaland to leave Man City despite remarkable contract, as two rivals for PL record named

Erling Haaland contract verdict at Man City

Man City have been told Erling Haaland will leave

Alan Shearer has shut down suggestions Erling Haaland will remain at Manchester City for the full length of his new nine-and-a-half-year contract, while also naming the two other stars who could break his Premier League goalscoring record.

Haaland left Man City fans delighted on Friday when he officially signed a lucrative new contract which is designed to keep him at the Etihad until summer 2034. The deal has been described as the most valuable in Premier League history and as one of the most lucrative in the whole of sport.

Haaland has been sensational for City since joining in 2022 – scoring 112 goals in 127 games – and this has prompted the club to bump up his weekly wage to an incredible £500,000 a week.

The striker has already notched 80 goals in 88 Premier League appearances and is hunting down Shearer’s record, which stands at 260.

On The Rest is Football podcast, Shearer said he expects Haaland to leave before the end of his City contract.

“By the way, there’s absolutely no chance he’s staying at Man City for nine and a half years. Seriously, do you think he will?” Shearer asked.

Fellow pundit Micah Richards replied: “But where would he go? He would only go from Man City to Real Madrid, wouldn’t he. And they’ve got Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius and Rodrygo. They’re not exactly old are they.”

Shearer responded: “Yeah but nine and a half years, he’s going to be 34 years of age. I don’t see him being there…

“I’m not saying he won’t break the record, I’m pretty sure he will. And he’ll probably do it in five or six years.

“But he’s not going to be there nine and a half years.”

The Newcastle United icon went on to name Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane as two players who could rival Haaland for the Prem record.

“He gets… financially it’s more beneficial, he gets more money. And for City, they get to protect their asset,” Shearer added.

“Because his contract obviously is not going to run out and whoever, if they wanted to buy him in however many years, they’d have to pay a s***load of money for him. It works for both of them.

“And, in reality, Salah could have the record, or Kane could have the record, even before he gets that record himself.”

READ NEXT: Liverpool step aside as Man City push to sign elite midfielder amid ‘concrete interest’

Haaland primed to beat Shearer record

Salah is on 175 goals from 284 league appearances, while Kane is on 213 goals from 320 appearances.

Realistically, though, Haaland is the most likely to surpass Shearer, with Salah now 32 years old and Kane 31 and also starring for Bayern Munich in Germany.

As Richards points out, Madrid represents Haaland’s most likely destination, should he decide to leave the Etihad.

Madrid president Florentino Perez is a massive fan of the Norway star and wants to make him their next Galactico, though Mbappe’s move last summer has delayed the transfer.

DON’T MISS: Erling Haaland transfer theory emerges after ‘strange’ new Man City contract

Man City transfers: Inside look at Marmoush deal; third defensive signing

Meanwhile, TEAMtalk can provide an inside look at how City won the race for Omar Marmoush, with the Eintracht Frankfurt striker set to officially join.

Discussions between City and Frankfurt began on January 7 after Guardiola’s side made a formal enquiry.

Frankfurt were always open to negotiations after learning that Marmoush wants to test himself out at a higher level.

City have already announced the captures of centre-backs Abdukodir Khusanov and Victor Reis, with Juma Bah next up.

According to Fabrizio Romano, City are ‘set to sign’ Bah as an agreement has been reached with Spanish outfit Real Valladolid.

City could actually help Lens replace Khusanov by loaning Bah to the French club for the remainder of the season.

QUIZ – think you know Erling Haaland?