Erling Haaland overtakes Lionel Messi as Man City’s No.1 transfer target

Erling Haaland has overtaken Lionel Messi as Manchester Metropolis’s No 1 switch goal.

Mirror Sport can verify that Metropolis need the Borussia Dortmund striker as a direct alternative for Sergio Aguero, regardless of Pep Guardiola’s declare that the Blues won’t break the financial institution.

Guardiola has warned that Dortmund’s £130million valuation is extreme – and the Blues will even not be going anyplace close to the £600,000-a-week wage that agent Mino Raiola is reported to be demanding.

However the membership closing in on a 3rd Premier League title in 4 years are ready to make use of the sell-on clause they’d inserted into the deal that took Jadon Sancho to Dortmund as a £15million bargaining chip in any bidding struggle with Manchester United, ChelseaReal Madrid and Barcelona.

Quadruple-chasing Metropolis are so decided to deliver 20-year-old Haaland to the Premier League {that a} supply on the membership revealed they’re “not actively pursuing” Barca famous person Messi.

The Argentine tried to stroll out of the Nou Camp final summer time to link-up once more with Guardiola on the Etihad following a contract wrangle.

And though the Catalan giants have been capable of block his departure, the expectation was that the 33-year-old would be part of Metropolis forward of subsequent season.

It appears signing Messi is now not viable given the funds concerned – and the idea that Haaland could lead on Metropolis’s assault for the subsequent decade and past.

Metropolis’s cordial relationship with Dortmund might show important.

When Sancho joined the Bundesliga membership for £8million in 2017, the deal included a 15 % sell-on clause.

Dortmund valued the 21-year-old at £108million when United have been final summer time – and that may have seen the Blues financial institution greater than £16million.

Metropolis might supply to waive that fee – however nonetheless consider the German membership must additional scale back Haaland’s asking worth within the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.

There may be additionally a clause in Haaland’s contract which allows the Norwegian to maneuver for £68million subsequent 12 months – so the clock is ticking on Dortmund’s try and get most worth for the participant this summer time.

Metropolis produce other choices – Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Inter Milan pair Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez – however all of them would price in extra of £100million.

Metropolis have additionally determined they won’t be following up their curiosity in Jack Grealish as a result of Aston Villa’s £100million-plus valuation of the midfielder is deemed prohibitive.

Metropolis face Dortmund within the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday night time.

Guardiola’s and Raiola aren’t on good phrases – however Mirror Sport confirmed in February that bitter relationship will not be a stumbling block.

Etihad chiefs are additionally inspired that Haaland’s father Alfie – a former Metropolis participant – shall be closely concerned within the choice that decides his son’s future.

However Metropolis aren’t ready to shatter their wage construction.

Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne are the membership’s highest earners on £300,000-a-week.

So Metropolis hope Haaland’s choice shall be primarily based on soccer moderately than funds.

Dortmund’s switch technique, nonetheless, might assist.

The German membership all the time demand that fifty % of any switch payment is paid up entrance, with the rest financed in a most of three instalments.

That might not be a difficulty for the Etihad membership.