Haaland insists Manchester City is 'home' as Real Madrid and Barcelona circle amid charges fallout

Erling Haaland has previously declared Manchester City feels like “home” and that he looks forward to spending “so many more years” at the club — words that carry fresh relevance after reports emerged linking him with Real Madrid and Barcelona in the wake of last week’s developments surrounding City’s Premier League charges.

The Sun reported that both Spanish giants are ready to move for the Norway striker should he decide to leave the Etihad Stadium. Real Madrid are also said to hold interest in Josko Gvardiol, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Elliot Anderson, Enzo Fernandez, and Rayan Cherki, suggesting a broader opportunistic scan of City’s squad.

It is not the first time Haaland has been placed at the centre of La Liga speculation. In January 2025, his father Alfie suggested the striker preferred spending no more than three seasons in each league to broaden his experience — comments that immediately ignited transfer talk. Haaland moved quickly to distance himself from the idea.

“Those are his words, not mine!” Haaland said at the time. “I think when I signed for City, I felt like it was home. I really meant it. I feel so happy, my family is so happy. In the end, that is what I wanted. I really look forward to spending so many more years in Manchester, it’s going to be amazing.”

Those remarks came shortly after Haaland signed a new contract at City. He has now surpassed the three-season threshold his father referenced and is into his fifth year at the club.

The links with Spain stretch back further still. In 2021, Spanish outlet AS reported that Haaland told fans in Marbella he would eventually play in Spain, though the comments were made informally on a family holiday. Barcelona were not in a financial position to act at the time, and Haaland instead joined City from Borussia Dortmund in 2022.

In 2026, Real Madrid presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme pledged to bring Haaland to the Bernabeu if elected. City responded with a firm public denial. “The stories which have emerged from Spain regarding the future of Erling Haaland are untrue,” the club’s statement read. “There is no chance of this happening and there is no contractual clause to enable it.”

As for the charges themselves, any potential punishment for City remains at an early stage. Rival fans have speculated about relegation or demotion, though there is precedent for elite players remaining with clubs in lower divisions — Gigi Buffon and Alessandro Del Piero both stayed at Juventus when the Italian club were relegated following the Calciopoli scandal.