Pep Guardiola insists Erling Haaland has no release clause for Real Madrid in his Manchester City contract
Pep Guardiola has knocked lower back hints Erling Haaland has a launch clause in his Manchester City contract that would permit him to be part of Real Madrid for a constant fee, earlier than admitting he does no longer comprehend whether or not an stomach damage sustained via the defender Kyle Walker should be extreme sufficient to rule him out of the World Cup subsequent month.
Reports from Spain in the run-up to City’s 5-0 Champions League victory towards Copenhagen on Wednesday – in which Haaland scored twice to take his terrific tally this season to 19 in simply 12 suits – advised Madrid may want to signal Haaland for €200m in 2024, or €175m in 2025, as per the phrases of the contract he signed with City this year.
But, speakme after the win which moved City to the cusp of the knockout degrees with three video games nevertheless to play, Guardiola denied that used to be the case. “It’s now not true,” he said. “He has no launch clause for Real Madrid or any different team. It’s no longer true, what can I say? I have the feeling he is surprisingly comfortable right here and we will strive to make him happy.
“You can't fear about the rumours, we have to fear about what we can control.”
Haaland was once substituted at half‑time to maintain him for a worrying fixture length in the buildup to the World Cup, which starts offevolved in six weeks. But it seems Walker’s availability for England is in doubt after Guardiola stated he used to be undecided whether or not the harm which pressured the defender from the area at some stage in the first 1/2 of the Manchester derby on Sunday ought to end result in him lacking the tournament.
“I don’t know,” Guardiola stated when requested about the extent of Walker’s injury. “It’s some thing abdominal, it might also be a while. I understand how essential the World Cup is for the gamers however he has an stomach injury. It will be weeks.”
The information would be a essential setback for Gareth Southgate, with Walker nearly sure to begin for England in Qatar if in shape and available. England start their World Cup marketing campaign with a group‑stage conflict towards Iran on 21 November, earlier than subsequent video games towards USA and Wales. Walker’s absence would go away Southgate with a giant gap in his defence to fill.