MANCHESTER CITY are ready to include a Real Madrid clause in Erling Haaland's contract in their bid to get a deal over the line this summer.
Pep Guardiola's side are believed to have agreed a £500,000-a-week contract with the in-demand Borussia Dortmund star.
And City could complete the long-awaited transfer THIS WEEK after triggering his £64million release clause.
However, the Etihad giants were pushed all the way by Real Madrid.
Los Blancos were convinced their would land their man, with Haaland even claiming to be excited at the idea of living in Spain.
The Norway star, 21, bought a house in Marbella earlier this year.
But Haaland had his mind changed by City after they seemingly promised to let him join Real Madrid later in his career.
The Times claim Man City told the striker he should join them now before trying his hand in Spain down the line.
The reigning Premier League champions are now confident they will land their man in the coming days.
It will end Guardiola's long search for a centre-forward having missed out on Harry Kane last summer.
City instead splashed £100m on Kane's England team-mate Jack Grealish and have played a false nine like Phil Foden or Raheem Sterling for much of this season.
Haaland is set to become the club's top earner on £500,000 per week, eclipsing Kevin de Bruyne (£385,000 a week).
That figure will also see him become the best-paid player in the Premier League.
Not only will City pay the striker half a million pounds each week, they will also be forced to fork over around £100m up front.
Haaland's release clause is £64m, but there are set to a number of payments to the player's team, including agent Mino Raiola and dad Alf-Inge, worth a reported £40m.
Both City and Real Madrid are believed to be willing to pay the bumper additional payments, but Haaland is expected to move to the Premier League.
As early as last year, the striker was caught on camera calling the Etihad Stadium "beautiful" ahead of Dortmund's Champions League quarter-final tie.
Zokapee
121
If this is true, then Halaand only agreed to join Manchester City because Benzema is still at Real Madrid.
JoyNg
73
That is Real Madrid for you, Father of all club The Biggest Club in the World🔥
CraigJack
49
The only way the guy accepted was when he was told he will be free to go to Madrid at a later stage of his career. So much lesson learned from Mbappe/PSG saga. Who does not want to play for Madrid? Haaland is ready to wait for Madrid's call even if it means developing more in Man City. That just shows what that name Real Madrid means to all youngsters of football.