Manchester City have reportedly been provided with a boost regarding the contract of Erling Braut Haaland.
When last season's Premier League champions signed Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, it was done by activating the forward's release clause.
The Norway international moved to the Etihad Stadium for an alleged £53m, substantially below what they would have expected to pay had the option not been present.
However, it was widely claimed in the summer that another release clause that could be activated at a certain time was included in his City contract.
Although the exact size of that fee was unclear, there were reports which said that it would come into play in 2024, two years into a five-year deal.
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Nevertheless, according to GOAL, that release clause is no longer present, leaving any admirers at a disadvantage if they choose to try to sign Haaland in the future.
The report claims that Pep Guardiola signing a contract extension at City has rendered the release clause null and void, strengthening their position at the negotiating table.
Previously, journalist Oriol Domenech had indicated that a release clause would be delayed until 2025 if Guardiola had departed City at the end of the current campaign.
Instead, it is now believed that Haaland will only be sold if he requests a transfer and his valuation is met in a future transfer window.
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As it stands, Haaland is categorically regarded as not for sale on the back of enjoying a stunning first year in English football.
The 22-year-old has scored 39 goals from his 36 appearances in all competitions, including five versus RB Leipzig in the Champions League earlier this week.
Haaland now has 10 strikes from six outings in European football's premier tournament, with all but one of his other 29 efforts coming in the Premier League.
City's leading marksman will hope to score his first goal in the FA Cup on Saturday evening if given an outing versus Burnley in their quarter-final tie.
Darren Plant
