Real Madrid Exit Erling Haaland Chase Leaving Man City As Favorites To Do €75m Deal

Real Madrid have reportedly pulled out of the race to sign Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Erling Haaland, leaving Manchester City in pole position.

Real Madrid have reportedly pulled out of the race to sign Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Erling Haaland.

Norway international Haaland is widely expected to leave Dortmund this summer as multiple clubs around Europe are all more than willing to activate a €75m ($86m) buy-out in his contract.

But Real have decided that the overall cost of a deal to a sign Haaland would be too much, according to the Daily Star, who suggest that it could surpass €350m ($400m) including salary and agent fees.

Real are one of the richest soccer clubs on the planet but they are already set to invest heavily in Kylian Mbappe this summer.

The Star claim that Real's move for PSG forward Mbappe, which could cost around €1.18m ($1.35m) per week, is a major factor behind their decision not to go for Haaland.

With Real said to be passing on Haaland, UK bookmakers make Manchester City the favorites to sign him this summer.

Erling Haaland is a man in demand but Real Madrid don't feel they can afford him :: IMAGO/ActionPictures

Haaland has links to Man City through his father, Alf-Inge Haaland, who made 47 appearances for the club between 2000 and 2003.

City are also famously short of traditional strikers in their squad, having failed to sign Harry Kane from Tottenham Hotspur last year.

A move for Haaland to City would make sense in many ways, but the player himself would rather join Barcelona, so say the Star.

Whether Barca can afford him due to their precarious financial situation is uncertain.

But whoever buys Haaland is guaranteed goals.

He has scored 56 in 57 Bundesliga games to date, having boasted an even better strike-rate at former club Salzburg in Austria.