Erling Haaland tipped for unthinkable move as Arsenal funds claim emerges after Man City contract detail ‘leaked’
Arsenal reportedly have the financial means to submit a huge bid for Manchester City forward Erling Haaland, but a huge European club stands in their way.
It was first reported on September 25 that City were found guilty of all charges relating to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules between 2009 and 2018 following a ruling by an independent commission.
City have since appealed the verdict. Should the guilty verdict be upheld, the club could face serious sanctions ranging from a points deduction to relegation or expulsion from the Premier League.
Erling Haaland tipped to leave Man City
Where this leaves their key players, such as star man Haaland, remains unclear, with the Norway international under contract at the Etihad until 2034 and currently earning a reported £500,000 per week.
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It is inconceivable that Haaland or most of his teammates would consider staying at City if they dropped down a division as a result of the verdict, with TEAMtalk reporting that Premier League champions Arsenal are considering a move for the goalscorer.
The outlet claims the Gunners have the financial means to do so but face competition from Barcelona, who are in search of a No. 9 despite Raphinha’s impressive return while filling the role at the start of this season.
Speaking on TEAMtalk’s podcast, transfer journalist Graeme Bailey explained: “Our understanding is that the timeline – irrespective of a City relegation – was that Haaland and his camp were looking at 2027 [for a transfer], because that’s a down year in between big [international] competitions.
“I was told by an Arsenal source [that] clearly if a player like Haaland comes on the market – as they are one of the biggest clubs in Europe – they’re going to be interested.
“And obviously, as we know, they’re looking for a striker. They spent all summer trying to sign Julian Alvarez, so arguably, they’ve got the money as well, if they’re going to do it.
“But my understanding is that Erling Haaland wants to go to Spain. Primarily, we’re talking Real Madrid and Barcelona.”
Paris Saint-Germain have also been tentatively linked with a move for Haaland.
It has been widely reported that Haaland and his City teammates do not have a relegation clause in their contracts.
READ MORE: FA release statement over Manchester City FFP case with warning over 'integrity of the game'
Could Erling Haaland leave Man City for free?
Maybe. That’s according to lawyer Paul Gilroy, who claimed Haaland and his teammates may have the option to terminate their contracts if they could prove the club had effectively lied to them over the financial breaches.
Speaking on Stick to Football, Gilroy said: “Every contract of employment, whether it's a footballer or someone who works in a shop, has got an implied term in it. In other words, it's not written down. And the implied term we're talking about here is the term of trust and confidence.
“So if I work for you, you and I must have sufficient trust and confidence in each other to enable that relationship to work.
“If you don't trust me, or I don't trust you, or if you call me a liar and a thief on Tuesday, I can't work for you on a Wednesday - trust and confidence.
“Now, a player could say 'You have breached the implied term of trust and confidence. You are my employer, you have acted in breach of that term, and that entitles me to say I'm ripping up my contract and I'm walking out.'
“That is a possibility; I've seen commentators saying unlikely, but it depends on so many things. What's the club going to say to the players? How do they sort it out financially? Etc, etc. But arguably, it's certainly a possibility.”
What is the latest stance from Man City?
As previously mentioned, City confirmed their decision to appeal the verdict on Friday, with the club issuing the following statement: “Manchester City Football Club can confirm that at 7pm on Thursday 1st October 2026 the Club lodged its comprehensive Appeal against the opinion of the Premier League Commission, in relation to the Premier League disciplinary matter.
“The Club’s firm position is that, on multiple grounds, the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe.
“The Club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions, relating to this case.
“We will continue to respect due process and are necessarily restricted in what we can say further until all proceedings are complete.”
City deny any wrongdoing and say they have a “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists” to support their position.
READ MORE: Unai Emery becomes first Premier League manager to speak out on Man City FFP verdict
Topics: Premier League, Arsenal, Erling Haaland
Luke Davies