Erling Haaland Backed to Snub Real Madrid and Barcelona in Favour of Record-Breaking Manchester City Legacy

Erling Haaland could be set to become a rare modern-day one-club legend, with the Manchester City striker tipped to ignore future interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona and instead write history at the Etihad Stadium.

Former Premier League forward Marlon Harewood believes the prolific Norwegian already has everything he needs at City — trophies, structure, and the perfect system to shatter goalscoring records — making a blockbuster move abroad unnecessary.

A contract built for history

Haaland committed his long-term future to Manchester City in January 2025 by signing an extraordinary 10-year contract that runs until the summer of 2034. If he sees out that deal, the striker would remain at the Etihad until the age of 34, potentially spending 12 years at the club since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in 2022.

Given his current trajectory, those years could be among the most statistically dominant ever seen in English football.

Numbers that defy belief

Haaland’s goal return since joining City has already placed him in elite territory. He became the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League goals, achieving the feat in just 111 matches. Across all competitions, he has registered 147 goals in 168 appearances — a ratio rarely seen in the modern era.

This season alone, his 36 goals for club and country helped Norway qualify for the 2026 World Cup, marking their first appearance at the tournament since 1998. Performances like that have inevitably sparked comparisons with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

“Old-school striker” in a modern game

Speaking to GOAL in association with William Hill, Harewood praised Haaland for reviving a lost art in football — the traditional centre-forward battle.

“He definitely does,” Harewood said. “I love it. You miss those old-school strikers. There are no strikers anymore. I’ve missed that — the physicality, the battle between striker and centre-half. He’s bringing that back, which I love.

“That’s what it’s all about — you’re in a duel. The only way defenders try to stop him is to ruffle his feathers, but he thrives on that. Do it more and he’ll score a hat-trick. He’s been a breath of fresh air.”

Harewood added that Haaland’s blend of old-school aggression and modern movement makes him uniquely dangerous — and perfectly suited to Pep Guardiola’s City side.

Why leave Manchester City?

Despite persistent links to Barcelona and Real Madrid — two of the few clubs capable of affording him — Harewood sees no reason for Haaland to walk away from a setup built around his strengths.

“I can’t see why he wouldn’t stay,” he said. “The only places to go are Barcelona, Real Madrid, PSG — that’s it. He’s already at a very good club in Manchester City, and I can see him staying there and breaking records.”

With silverware virtually guaranteed and records falling season after season, Haaland may be redefining what loyalty looks like in the modern football era. If he does stay the course, the Etihad won’t just be where he plays his football — it will be where history is rewritten.