Real Madrid could reportedly reignite their interest in Manchester City striker Erling Braut Haaland if the Premier League champions are punished for breaching financial rules.
On Monday morning, it was announced that the Citizens had been charged with over 100 alleged breaches by the Premier League relating to revenue, sponsorship income and operating costs.
Man City have denied the charges, which have now been passed over to an independent commission, but they could be hit with untold sanctions if found guilty of the breaches.
The most extreme punishments could see Man City expelled from the Premier League, which would be expected to trigger a mass exodus of star names from the Etihad Stadium.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Real Madrid are keeping a watchful eye on how the situation develops and could try again for Haaland if the Premier League champions are hit with sanctions.
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Los Blancos were heavily linked with a move for the former Borussia Dortmund striker last year, but Man City moved to trigger the €60m (£53.2m) release clause in his BVB contract.
The report claims that Haaland would still be open to a move to Real Madrid, and he is not guaranteed to remain at Man City if the champions are proven to have committed any offence.
The 22-year-old has continued his incredible form in England since leaving the Bundesliga, scoring 31 goals in just 28 games for Pep Guardiola's side in all tournaments.
Haaland has netted a staggering 25 goals in 20 Premier League outings so far, unsurprisingly topping the Golden Boot charts and sitting eight goals clear of closest challenger Harry Kane.
The former Red Bull Salzburg starlet - who already has four Premier League hat-tricks to his name - is contracted to Man City until the summer of 2027, so the champions can still afford to hold out for a considerable sum of money.
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Following news of the accusations against them, Man City said in a statement that they were 'surprised' at the charges given the supposed "irrefutable evidence" in their favour.
!Manchester City FC is surprised by the issuing of these alleged breaches of the Premier League Rules, particularly given the extensive engagement and vast amount of detailed materials that the EPL has been provided with," the statement read.
"The club welcomes the review of this matter by an independent Commission, to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position. As such we look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all."
Real Madrid have also been expected to battle Man City for the signature of Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, whose future remains the biggest talking point of the transfer market.
City's chances of winning the race for the 19-year-old will be impacted by the threat of sanctions, though, and Bellingham is also said to have ruled out a move to Paris Saint-Germain or Chelsea.
As a result, Real Madrid have seemingly jumped to the head of the queue alongside Manchester United and Liverpool, but the latter's hopes of a deal will be harmed considerably if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.
Ben Knapton
