Manchester City is making plans to begin contract negotiations with Erling Haaland in the upcoming months, despite the fact that the striker still has four years remaining on his current contract.

Haaland’s tenure with Manchester City, which began in 2022 when he joined from Borussia Dortmund, has been nothing short of spectacular. He scored an impressive 52 goals in 53 appearances across all competitions last season, contributing to the club’s historic treble victory. This season, he has continued his stellar performance, netting eight goals in just seven Premier League games.

Although the 23-year-old Norwegian has a substantial amount of time remaining on his current contract, Manchester City is eager to secure his services for the long term. According to reports from the Telegraph, the club intends to initiate contract discussions with Haaland in the near future. Additionally, it has been noted that Real Madrid has shown a sustained interest in the talented striker.

Haaland’s father, former City midfielder Alf-Inge Haaland, previously stated that his son’s intention was to stay at the Etihad for “three or four years at most” to showcase his abilities in various leagues. Furthermore, Haaland’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta, has described Real Madrid as a “dreamland” for players.

Nonetheless, a source close to the situation emphasized, “At the right time, we’ll talk about his future with us, but we would like him to stay for many years. It could gain momentum this year, but there’s nothing formal yet. Erling’s happy to be here, we’re happy to have him, it’s working well, he’s fully integrated into the team. We talk about his goals, but what he brings to the team goes beyond goals.

His humility and willingness to improve don’t get discussed enough, the way he works with his teammates. He’s not focused on his own individual records; he wants to win as a collective, and that’s what makes him a brilliant player for us to have.”

Despite Haaland’s impressive goal-scoring record in the Premier League this season, he has yet to find the back of the net in the Champions League, failing to score against Red Star Belgrade and RB Leipzig. According to former City midfielder Owen Hargreaves, this may be due to Haaland adapting his game in response to changes in the team’s personnel, such as the departures of Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez, Kevin De Bruyne’s injury, and the arrival of Jeremy Doku.

Hargreaves stated, “I think they’ve got different personnel. He’s getting a feel for different players, obviously Kevin De Bruyne is not playing. Riyad Mahrez isn’t there. Gundogan isn’t in there. Doku is a new player. Erling is probably working out his runs and his timing as well. It doesn’t even matter if you can’t figure this guy out. He’s too quick, too strong, he’s a lethal finisher and he’s efficient. I wouldn’t make him angry because I wouldn’t want to see him angry.”