In a documentary devoted to Erling Haaland, his father claimed that Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) would have been the following three choices if the Manchester City move hadn't come through this summer.
Sensational striker Erling Haaland's move to Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund this summer was one of the most high-profile transfers, which grabbed many eyeballs. The 22-year-old joined Pep Guardiola's team for around 60 million euros. The Norwegian signed a 5-year deal with City and has played an instrumental role in the team's performance this season, scoring 14 goals in nine competitions. However, ever wondered if not for City, which club would have the prolific player preferred?
In a documentary devoted to Erling Haaland, his father has revealed that Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) were the following clubs of choice for the Norway international if the deal with Manchester City hadn't come through.
"City were the best team for us, Bayern were second, Real Madrid third and PSG fourth," says Alfie Haaland in "Haaland – The Big Decision" (uploaded on Swedish streaming platform Viaplay), according to the transcript of World Deportivo. "We also have a couple of English teams other than City, which are pretty good. Liverpool and Chelsea. There's also Barcelona. They're sort of in the same league," he added.
Also read: Revealed: What has impressed Man City boss Pep Guardiola the most about Erling Haaland
What's surprising is that although PSG was Haaland's 4th choice, a move to the Ligue 1 champions was seen as more desirable than other significant teams such as Barcelona, Liverpool, Chelsea, etc. Nonetheless, when Kylian Mbappe signed a contract extension with the Parisian club, a move for the Norwegian was certainly off the cards.
Despite many analysts disparaging the French League, the current Ligue 1 winners should find comfort because superstar players view them as the ideal club to further their careers. With Manchester City in the 2022–23 football season, Haaland has gotten right to work. The media might revisit this subject should the Premier League team face PSG in the UEFA Champions League knockout rounds.
Meanwhile, recent reports have also revealed that Real Madrid is planning to raid Manchester City by bidding for Haaland in 2024 in a deal that could be closed for around 180 million euros. This is so that, in the unlikely event that the striker decides to move environments, his termination clause will become effective in 2024.
Real Madrid's star striker Karim Benzema will be 36 years old by then, and Carlo Ancelotti's men would need to find a replacement. Haaland would be the ideal choice in this situation, given his track record of scoring goals. The forward has scored 167 goals in 207 games across all club football competitions. This equals an average of 0.8 goals scored per game. Only time will tell if the Norway international will move to any of the other European giants or become a Man City legend.