Man City pursuit of Erling Haaland is justified but Barcelona have made financial risk clear

After sources in Germany and Spain last week suggested that Manchester City are leading the race to sign Erling Haaland, the latest reports suggest that City are close to agreeing personal terms with the sought-after striker. While MEN Sport understands that claims of a deal being almost complete are a little premature, it does appear that Cityare in pole position to seal the deal.

The latest significant development is that City are reportedly willing to pay Haaland over £500,000 per year, a salary that would make the 21-year-old the highest-paid player in England. The story, while not officially confirmed, has been backed up by Borussia Dortmund advisor Matthias Sammer, who joked that he had 'whiplash' and that he 'passed out' when he saw the reported figures.

That figure has prompted the likes of Marca to claim that Real Madrid, City's main rivals to Haaland's signature, will not compete with City's offer. Given Florentino Perez's record of paying through the nose for the players he wants, that could of course just be a ploy to make City out to be ruining football.

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Regardless, there's no denying that £500,000 is an awful lot of money and if that is indeed the sum City are willing to pay Haaland, then it represents a huge departure from their current wage structure. City of course have every right to pay that much; Haaland is a generational talent, and if they don't pay then he will end up going to a direct Champions League rival.

City would no doubt get their money's worth too. Still only 21, Haaland is a physical and technical freak, a forward who strikes fear into the most experienced of defenders and who has