2026 BALLON D'OR FULL LIST OF NOMINEES REVEALED AS HARRY KANE EMERGES AS FAVOURITE

 

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The nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or have been announced, setting up a race that includes some of soccer’s biggest stars and gives voters plenty to consider after a World Cup year.

Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Erling Haaland and Rodri are among the players competing for the award alongside reigning winner Ousmane Dembélé.

This year’s voting carries an added wrinkle because performances at the 2026 World Cup fall within the eligibility period. That has reshaped the race after the summer tournament, with Kane sitting atop the odds while Yamal has gained ground after helping Spain win the World Cup.

The winner will be revealed on Oct. 26 in London.

Harry Kane Leads 2026 Ballon d’Or Odds After Huge Season

Kane enters the race as the clear betting favorite, with his odds giving him a 67% implied probability of winning his first Ballon d’Or, according to Covers.com.

The Bayern Munich striker has both individual numbers and team accomplishments working in his favor.

Kane scored 50 goals across all competitions while helping Bayern capture a domestic double, ending his long wait for major team silverware. He also helped England make a deep run at the World Cup.

Those accomplishments have put Kane in a commanding position ahead of the vote, but he is not running unopposed.

Yamal has experienced one of the biggest swings in the market after playing a key role in Spain’s World Cup victory.

The Barcelona star previously climbed 22 percentage points to a 26% implied probability before settling at 17%. His performance on soccer’s biggest international stage has helped turn him into one of Kane’s most prominent challengers.

Rodri, Yamal’s Spain teammate, is also in contention at 6%. The Manchester City midfielder helped anchor Spain during its championship run and has gained support despite playing a position that does not typically produce the eye-catching scoring numbers of the award’s attacking contenders.

Kylian Mbappé Loses Ground Despite 42-Goal Season

Mbappé remains one of the biggest names in the Ballon d’Or field, but his odds fell after the World Cup.

The Real Madrid star dropped 18 percentage points to approximately 14% following the tournament.

Mbappé scored 42 goals for Real Madrid last season, but the club did not win a trophy and exited the Champions League early. France also missed the World Cup final before losing a 6-4 match against England for third place.

Despite those results, Mbappé recently made it clear that he believes his individual season belongs in the Ballon d’Or conversation.

He said it would be a “good year for him” to capture the award.

Lionel Messi is further down the market at 3% despite his team reaching another World Cup final.

Ballon d’Or Winner Will Be Decided by International Journalists

France Football and UEFA will co-organize the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on Oct. 26.

A jury of international journalists representing the top 100 countries in the latest FIFA rankings selects the men’s winner. Each voter selects a top 10, with players receiving between 15 and one point based on their placement.

Dembélé won the 2025 Ballon d’Or with 1,380 points, accounting for 92% of the total points available.

The 2026 ceremony will also recognize the top young player, goalkeeper and club.

Yamal is among the 10 nominees for Men’s Young Talent of the Year, joining Pau Cubarsi, Lennart Karl, Warren Zaire-Emery and others.

The Yashin Trophy field for goalkeeper of the year  Thibaut Courtois, David Raya, Unai Simón, Yassine Bonou and Emiliano Martínez.

Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Bodo/Glimt, Flamengo and Paris Saint-Germain have been nominated for Men’s Club of the Year.

- Perry Miller Carpenter

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MANCHESTER CITY CONSIDER LEGAL ACTION FOLLOWING REAL MADRID PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE'S ERLING HAALAND CLAIM

 June 4 – Manchester City are considering legal action after Real Madrid presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme publicly claimed he would sign Erling Haaland if elected president of the Spanish giants. 

The extraordinary intervention has added another layer of drama to Real Madrid’s first contested presidential election in two decades, with Riquelme using a television appearance on Wednesday to unveil a Madrid shirt bearing Haaland’s name and suggests the Norwegian striker was open to a move to the Santiago Bernabéu. 

“He has a release clause and would like to join Real Madrid,” Riquelme said. “If I become president, he will play for Real Madrid.” 

The comments were swiftly met with a robust response from both Haaland’s camp and Manchester City. In a joint statement issued by the player’s father and agent, the claims were dismissed outright, before City raised the prospect of legal action over the use of the striker’s image during the campaign. 

“The stories which have emerged from Spain regarding the future of Erling Haaland are untrue,” the statement read. “There is no chance of this happening and there is no contractual clause to enable it. 

“We are considering legal action for the use of our player image in this context.” 

Riquelme did not stop there. The 37-year-old businessman also pledged to bring City midfielder Rodri to Madrid should he defeat long-serving president Florentino Pérez. 

“He is a great player, in a position where Madrid need to strengthen,” Riquelme said. “We have spoken to his agent. We have to respect his club, but if I’m president he will play for Madrid. I will do everything possible.”

 The transfer promises have become a central feature of a campaign that has transformed what is usually a predictable Real Madrid presidential process into one of the club’s most colourful elections in recent memory. 

Pérez, who has largely dominated Madrid politics since returning to power in 2009, is facing opposition for the first time in 20 years following a disappointing campaign in which the club failed to secure major silverware. 

Riquelme has attempted to position himself as the candidate of change, promising sweeping benefits for club members, including the construction of a new fan complex near Madrid’s training centre featuring swimming pools, padel courts and a basketball arena. 

He has also pledged to cut annual membership fees by up to 50% should the club fail to win the Champions League next season. 

The challenger has further differentiated himself by opposing Pérez’s reported decision to appoint José Mourinho as head coach. While Pérez has yet to formally confirm the appointment, it is widely expected should he secure another term in office. 

Instead, Riquelme has repeatedly hinted at alternative targets, with former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp emerging as the standout name linked to his campaign. 

“My coach is the one Real Madrid fans want,” Riquelme said this week, declining to reveal a specific candidate. Speaking previously about Klopp, he added: “Naturally, I would love for profiles of that calibre, and others like them, to coach this club.” 

Pérez, meanwhile, has sought to focus attention on football matters rather than campaign theatrics. “I always say that in football you don’t always win,” he said. 

“We haven’t achieved the expected results, but we’ve identified the problems. The team couldn’t have a pre-season due to the Club World Cup, and that hampered us all year. 

“We had almost 30 injuries in the first half of the season and that was a decisive factor. We’re already working to face the challenges of the new season.” 

The increasingly bitter campaign has also been marked by public attempts from both camps to undermine one another. During Riquelme’s appearance on popular Spanish television show El Hormiguero, Pérez’s supporters reportedly purchased advertising space to announce Mourinho as the club’s next manager and urge members to back the incumbent president. 

Yet amid the political manoeuvring, it is the Haaland saga that has generated potentially the biggest consequences. 

- Harry Ewing

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BENJAMIN SESKO'S BEHAVIOUR AND ATTITUDE ALREADY CLEAR AS MAN UTD HAVE LEARNED THE TRUTH

Manchester United are set to begin life with Benjamin Sesko leading their frontline in the Premier League, and Ruben Amorim already knows plenty about the Slovenian from his former colleagues

Benjamin Sesko could be set to make his Manchester United debut against Arsenal(Image: YouTube/Sky Sports Premier League)

Eyes will be firmly on Benjamin Sesko when Manchester United host Arsenal in their Premier League curtain-raiser. The Slovenian is set for his Red Devils debut against the Gunners, who themselves chased his signature for months.

This season, the 22-year-old will be leading Ruben Amorim's frontline with the heavy burden of a price tag worth £66.4million with potential add-ons of up to £7.6m on his shoulders. The precocious forward is widely considered to be one of the most exciting young players in Europe.

Now the pressure is as high as it possibly can be, particularly with United in dire need of improvement after a woeful campaign last season. However, if the comments of his former team-mates are anything to go by, the striker certainly has the temperament to succeed.

'Sesko is a cool guy'

Sesko has already made a good impression on Bryan Mbeumo(Image: 2025 Manchester United FC)

Sesko was not the only new forward to arrive at Old Trafford. Former Brentford striker Bryan Mbeumo joined in a deal worth £71m. In one of his first interviews at United, Mbeumo gave his thoughts on Sesko's early contributions to the group, saying: "He looks like a cool guy.

"We’re just being normal, just having normal conversations. He’s a good guy. I think it’s important [to help people settle], especially when you come from another league and you don’t really know [things here].

"I think it’s important to make them feel at home already. I think everyone is doing this naturally, we don’t really calculate anything, but I think this is really important."

Discomfort towards Erling Haaland comparisons

Benjamin Sesko was uncomfortable when told about his team-mates' comparisons between him and Erling Haaland(Image: YouTube/Amazon Prime)

Sesko and Erling Haaland both made their breakthroughs while playing for RB Salzburg, so comparisons between the two were inevitable. Interestingly, he once claimed many of his former colleagues told him he is a better player than the Manchester City hitman, saying: "My team-mates at the club tell me that Haaland and I are very similar, especially in terms of speed. Most of them even tell me that I'm better than him!"

He was reminded of that particular comment during an interview with the The Telegraph. Instead of backing it up, Sesko rowed back on the quote, perhaps with a view of trying to appear more humble. He said: "What should I say? This is comparing me to someone who is one of the best players in the world.

"So, it’s not easy to compare. I would not like to compare myself to anyone. I would just love to be myself and be the best myself.”

United fans will be encouraged by his comments, as it shows he is not looking to get ahead of himself and put himself above other top players, before he has even kicked a ball in the Premier League.

Brilliance in training

Sesko's performances in training throughout his career have impressed team-mates(Image: 2025 Manchester United FC)

Of course, the performances Sesko will be measured by will be his displays at Old Trafford and the rest of the Premier League grounds. However, one comment from his former colleague Ridle Baku will be a huge green flag for United fans.

Many great players such as Eden Hazard were often considered as terrible and lazy trainers, but made up for it with their performances in games. While the latter remains to be seen in the Premier League, many of Sesko's past colleagues have said they've been impressed by his performances and attitude in training sessions.

Baku told FourFourTwo: "Our striker Sesko, I was really impressed, to be honest. The first training session, I knew already that he's a good player.

"But I'm speaking about potential, probably he's not [currently at] potential he could be, but right now, what I saw already, very impressive. He has everything to be a world-class player."

"He's the best I've played with"

Poulsen had some high praise for Sesko(Image: 2025 Getty Images)

Throughout his time at RB Leipzig, Sesko mostly played with experienced Danish forward Yussuf Poulsen. Despite playing with the likes of Christopher Nkunku, Timo Werner and Alexander Sorloth, who all have impressive goalscoring records, Poulsen placed Sesko above all of those.

However, he also admitted the forward is a great player to play alongside, suggesting Sesko is not a selfish player who could grate against his team-mates. Speaking to TNT in December, Poulsen said: "As a striker, he's the best I've played with. If you look at his abilities, he has everything a top number 9 needs.

"He's still young, he still needs to learn, not the technical things about being a striker but maybe more the finesse side. He has everything, strength shooting, technique, everything.

"I like working with him and I'm trying to get him there – he'll go on and score a lot of goals for us and some point go to the club he'll love to play for."

Sesko's behaviour during United links

Sesko's conduct during the transfer sagas impressed United(Image: 2025 Getty Images)

There was plenty of attention on Sesko's transfer saga, but he made few headlines in comparison to fellow strikers Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak. Gyokeres went on strike to force through a move to Arsenal, while Isak has told Newcastle United he will not play for them again, in order to try and secure a move to Liverpool.

However, Sesko did not go out of his way to barrage his way out of Leipzig. While the Bundesliga side did make him train on his own, the Slovenian never went on strike or threatened to take firm action against his side.

Instead, he quietly went about his day job, something which pleased Amorim, according to the Manchester Evening News. Emphasising the importance of Sesko's character, Amorim said: "It is a key point in our way of doing things now. It's not just how they play. It's really important how they play, of course, because that is their job, but their character is really important.

"We took a lot of time to get to know the players and talk with everybody before we brought players into our group. That is going to be a rule and will be massive in our decision to sign a player."

- Patrick Austen-Hardy

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ALAN SHEARER BLASTS ERLING HAALAND DECISION THA COST MAN CITY IN FA FINAL - 'NO CHANCE'

Erling Haaland started for Manchester City as they faced Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final on Saturday, though the Norwegian striker came under fire from Alan Shearer

Haaland handed the ball to Omar Marmoush instead, with the January signing missing his spot-kick(Image: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Alan Shearer slammed Erling Haaland for giving away the ball to Omar Marmoush after Manchester City were awarded a penalty in their FA Cup final against Crystal Palace. The Eagles had been leading through Eberechi Eze's brilliant counter-attacking goal

Twelve minutes before half-time though, City were handed a prime chance to equalise. Referee Stuart Attwell point to the spot after Tyrick Mitchell lunged in on Bernando Silva and brought down the City star.

Haaland initially picked the ball up, but once VAR Jarred Gillett had confirmed the decision, he passed the ball to Marmoush. The January signing aimed his penalty down to Palace keeper Dean Henderson's right hand side.

But the Englishman had guessed right and palmed the ball away with a strong right hand. He then quickly got to his feet to also save Haaland's own follow-up and maintain Palace's precious lead.

Haaland's decision to hand Marmoush the ball surprised many, with the Norwegian having scored 30 goals in all competitions this season. Some pundits, including Gary Lineker and Wayne Rooney, believed that boss Pep Guardiola ordered Haaland to give the ball away.

The striker has missed three spot-kicks this season, scoring four. Despite that patchy record, Newcastle legend Shearer blasted Haaland for so easily giving up the chance to become a hero for his side.

"That is a big decision from Erling Haaland as well, not to want that penalty. If he's fit enough he's on the pitch, he's starting the game. So it must be mentally that he's either said he doesn't want it," Shearer said in commentary for BBC Sport.

"Or Pep doesn't want him to take it. That is a big surprise to me though. Not at all [would you pass it up]. Not when you're in his position. Erling Haaland, who and what you are. He's scored 30 goals this season.

"I'm only speaking from a personal point of view but I wouldn't be prepared to give up a penalty in a cup final - no chance. Come to that I wouldn't give one up in any game, let alone a cup final."

While he was critical of Haaland, Shearer also reserved praise for Palace keeper Henderson. The England international was perhaps fortunate to stay on the pitch after an earlier decision revolving around a handball he committed.

But overlooking his fortune, Shearer was full of praise for the 28-year-old. He added: "What a save that is. He doesn't fall for the bluff beforehand. He's in control of that situation the goalkeeper.

"He guesses right and gets a big strong hand to keep that out. It really is an impressive save. Then he gets up really quickly again. A clever save it really was, quick along his line. Strong with his right arm. That is a huge save it really is. He's had an interesting 35, 37 minutes."

- Jacob Leeks

ERLING HAALAND GIVES BLUNT RESPONSE TO MAN CITY 115 CHARGES CASE AS LIVERPOOL AWAITS VERDICT

Latest Liverpool news as Erling Haaland is asked about Manchester City's 115 charges case with the Premier League

Erling Haaland of Manchester City(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has reiterated his lack of concern over the charges that still loom over the club, as Liverpool continue to watch on for any developments. The Premier League issued more than 100 charges to City in 2022 for alleged historical breaches in the competition, with a three-person panel hearing the evidence towards the end of last year.

A verdict is yet to be confirmed, with the Manchester Evening News reporting that one is expected to arrive soon. Potential punishments have been rumoured to range from fines to significant points deductions if City are found guilty.

Liverpool are currently top of the Premier League table and 22 points ahead of City, who are fifth in the table. The Reds are the overwhelming favourites to win the league title this season, while City's only chance of winning a major trophy this season is the FA Cup.

City have maintained their innocence over the charges issued in their direction by the Premier League. Haaland has explained why he is not worried about the 115 charges that are still hanging over the club, citing the nine-and-a-half-year contract extension that he signed back in January.

"I don't do that, obviously, when I sign a nine-and-a-half-year contract," Haaland told reporters while on international duty with Norway when asked if he has any concerns about the charges by the Premier League.

"I've said 300 times why I signed the contract. I talked to the club, got a good feeling and agreed to it in the end. That's why."

Liverpool have already played City twice this season, winning both matches by a 2-0 scoreline at Anfield and the Etihad Stadium. If City win the FA Cup and the Reds are crowned Premier League champions, their next meeting could come in next season's Community Shield.

- Mark Wakefield

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MAJOR PREMIER LEAGUE ANNOUNCEMENT LAUGHABLE AFTER MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY'S ERLING HAALAND JIBE

Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly copied Erling Haaland's celebration after scoring against Manchester City at the weekend and in its wake the Premier League have taken laughable action

This is quite simply getting out of hand. According to Sky Sports, the Premier League will monitor player goal celebrations and may consider sanctions if they feel they are damaging the reputation of the game or could inflame opposition fans or players.

What on Earth is the world coming to? Let’s park the rather eerie Arsenal link for one second and take this at face value.

Iliman Ndiaye was booked for imitating a seagull when scoring for Everton against Brighton. Brilliant, loved it, very funny and who in their right mind is getting mad at a man flapping his arms like a bird after scoring?

Next time someone scores against the Gunners, if they want to imitate a cannon (that might require some help from teammates but I’d love to see it) go for it. Who is it hurting? These are harmless, light-hearted bits of fun in a game which has seemingly lost touch with some of what made it such an enjoyable spectacle.

I would understand if what we were witnessing was a string of very inflammatory perhaps derogatory performances from players. But a man pretended to be a bird…

It did not come out in the aftermath of Ndiaye’s show of appreciation for ornithology, which occurred more than ten days ago. It has come out in the wake of the Arsenal youngster’s apt response to the needle seen between the two sides earlier in the campaign where the aforementioned Norwegian striker in a face-off with the Hale End graduate was alleged to have muttered, “Who are you?” Or words to that effect.

In the most perfect way possible, Lewis-Skelly in an utter trouncing of Manchester City responded on the football pitch with a goal and celebration which purely copied Haaland’s pose. It’s not the first time we’ve seen it either, Kylian Mbappe and his then-PSG teammates did it after knocking Borussia Dortmund out of the UEFA Champions League.

Was much made of that? Barely a whisper.

All this does is further fuel the fire that Arsenal fans in particular feel there is an undercurrent that goes against them. Some of the decisions made, not just this season but in previous campaigns, have been very questionable.

Lewis-Skelly was only able to play against Man City after an independent panel overturned a three-match ban given to the 18-year-old after a red card brandished by Michael Oliver for what was certainly a classic cynical yellow card challenge. The same referee who sent off Leandro Trossard for kicking the ball away less than a second after his whistle was blown, moments after Jeremy Doku had too delayed a restart earlier on in the same game.

The same official who sent off Gabriel Martinelli for two yellow cards in the same phase of play. Something many had never seen before and none of us have seen since.

Arsenal have been punished in title races by VAR failing to spot blatant offsides which gifted the likes of Brentford an equaliser in the week before the Gunners would face title rivals Manchester City. Declan Rice sent off for a nudge of the ball, again an incident we have seen players go unpunished for time and time again since, be it Dominik Szoboszlai, Boubacar Kamara, Luis Diaz, the list goes on.

Jason Cundy has warned that Lewis-Skelly needs to be careful, when speaking on talkSPORT, making reference to Roy Keane’s career-affecting challenge on Alf-Inge Haaland.

"Just doing that... I'm not convinced it's the wisest thing to do because, you know, so long, plenty of years to come.

"You wait. You know, we saw what Roy Keane did to Haaland's dad. You know, just be careful what battles you pick."

For those reading that may have suddenly become slightly confused by the words of Cundy. No, we’re not speaking after Lewis-Skelly had anything to do with a major injury to Erling Haaland, we’re talking about him copying a goal celebration. To insinuate that someone would get so annoyed by a player doing such a thing that Lewis-Skelly could be subjected to something like we saw between Keane and Alf-Inge Haaland is… well words actually fail me here, none come to mind to accurately quantify the madness of such a statement.

The footballing world went mad a long time ago and some of the things we’re seeing will hardly surprise everyone. Yet what we have entered is seemingly a period where players like Lewis-Skelly, who scored in one of the biggest games of the season, from left-back against the champions is not lauded for his talent but instead the centre of a rethink of celebrations. What a sad, sad day for the sport.

- Tom Canton

ALEXANDER ISAK MEGA DEAL THAT CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING AT NEWCASTLE UNITED AND CHELSEA REGRET

Newcastle United could do a lot worse than getting Alexander Isak to put pen to paper on a new deal

Newcastle United chiefs will not have failed to notice Erling Haaland's Manchester City mega deal as they made their way into work on Friday morning.

The fact that the Norwegian international is now tied down to a nine-and-a-half-year deal not only gives City a major lift as their title hopes fade, but also changes the potential landscape of the Premier League. City will be back next season that's a cert.

But Haaland's hopes of becoming the Premier League's greatest ever scorer appears to be there for all to see. One boffin worked out that Haaland would only need 18 goals a season to get past Alan Shearer's record of 260.

His commitment sends a big message out in the football world with Man City's status unaffected by a bad run this season but also the Premier League's title as the best league in the world still seemingly intact. Where once Serie A and La Liga were deemed the best leagues in Europe to ply your trade, the Prem has just earned another feather in its hat.

As the ink dries on Haaland's contract over at the Etihad Stadium, it will get minds-boggling at St James' Park on Isak. City can boast of being one of the best strikers in the world, but Newcastle could very easily argue the same thing with Isak.

Or at least they can say they have the most sought-after striker in the world at the moment in Isak. Day after day, Isak has been linked with Arsenal during the transfer window, but the truth is they probably can't afford him. Newcastle played down suggestions that they were in talks with Isak earlier in the season over a new deal. Back then they stated that Isak has a deal until 2028 and there was no rush to get a new deal thrashed out.

Handing Isak what would be a new improved deal though would help end any talk of a £150million January exit. Isak could rest assured that his future would be on Tyneside and what lies ahead of him could be genuinely special.

With 52 goals for Newcastle already, Isak smashed one record this week by scoring for the eighth successive game in a row in the Premier League, moving past Alan Shearer and Joe Willock in the process. After his two-goal blast against the Wolves, Isak is now within an incredible grasp of becoming Newcastle's second top all-time Premier League scorer.

As he sits on 46 goals in the Prem, he can move past Callum Wilson in second spot and attempt to get within 100 of Shearer. He needs 149 goals to better Shearer in the Premier League so has plenty of work to do and he's way off the 206 that took Big Al past Jackie Milburn back in 2006 before he bowed out.

But at 25, those are the type of feats in front of Isak. The former Borussia Dortmund striker, remarkably let go by the German giants earlier in his career, may also privately have an eye on the iconic number 9 shirt at St James' Park.

And even if he doesn't the commercial team will win because Newcastle could sell a bucket load of Isak 9 shirts as they look to improve their PSR game. Handing Isak a new deal would also show United is the place to be as they attempt to build an exciting team around the striker.

Chelsea dared to test Newcastle's resolve on Isak last June and failed. Given they are also rueful of letting Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento go for relative peanuts on the scale of the big financial picture, it feels like an exciting time to be a Newcastle fan again.

A team containing Isak, Hall, Livramento, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Anthony Gordon, Sven Botman and Sandro Tonali is exciting enough. Adding class and quality with Isak leading the line is more than enough to have the Toon Army dreaming of greatness.

Whether is ambitious statements, commercial wealth, club records, Shearer's records or the number 9 legacy, Isak can change it all on Tyneside.

- Lee Ryder, Chief Newcastle United Writer

ERLING HAALAND'S NET WORTH AND WHAT HE'LL HAVE EARNED ONCE RECORD MAN CITY CONTRACT ENDS

Erling Haaland's life of luxury just got a whole lot more comfortable (Image: Getty Images)

Erling Haaland has put pen to paper on a nine-and-a-half-year deal at the Etihad Stadium, which is set to cost Manchester City an eye-watering total sum by 2034

Erling Haaland will have earned at the very least £260million by the time his new nine-and-a-half-year contract ends.

The 24-year-old Norwegian striker has dominated English football since his arrival in a £51.2m deal in 2022, making his way to the Etihad Stadium from Borussia Dortmund. Under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, Haaland has scored 111 goals in 126 appearances for Manchester City, lifting two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a Champions League - with hopes of filling his trophy cabinet more in the coming years.

And while there has been speculation of interest from La Liga giants Real Madrid as of late, Haaland has confirmed that his heart is set in the north west of England, penning a new near decade-long deal which will keep him as a Cityzen until the end of the 2033/34 campaign.

And while there has been speculation of interest from La Liga giants Real Madrid as of late, Haaland has confirmed that his heart is set in the north west of England, penning a new near decade-long deal which will keep him as a Cityzen until the end of the 2033/34 campaign.

Meanwhile, the contract also reportedly saw any existing release clauses removed, although a new one will come into effect from 2029. It is expected that Haaland will see a massive increase on his current £375,000-per-week salary, rising to in the region of £500,000 weekly - and that's before bonuses.

This will see Haaland approximately rack up an astonishing £260m pre-tax by the time that his contract expires in 2034, given that his pay is also reported to be backdated to the start of the current Premier League campaign. In terms of his wage being broken down, £500k-a-week translates to £71,428-a-day or £2,976 per hour.

Add the substantial sum over the next 10 years to the reported £32m ($40) net worth Haaland boasts at present and he should have a bank balance well into the nine figures. And that's also excluding endorsements and performance bonuses which come incredibly frequently to stars of his calibre.

According to Forbes, Haaland has worked with the likes of Nike, EA, Breitling, Dolce and Gabbana and Midea over the years - each boosting his bank balance further with lucrative sponsorships. Speaking on his new contract, he said: "I am really happy to have signed my new contract and to be able to look forward to spending even more time at this great Club.

"Manchester City is a special club, full of fantastic people with amazing supporters and it’s the type of environment that helps bring the best out of everybody. I also want to thank Pep, his coaching staff, my teammates and everyone at the club as they have all helped me so much in the past couple of years.

"They have made this such a special place to be and now I am City no matter what. Now I want to keep developing, keep working to get better and look to do my best to try and help us achieve more success going forward."

- Aaron Morris

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