Manchester City completed the signing of Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2022 after agreeing a deal for one of Europe’s most prolific young strikers.
City announced on June 13, 2022, that the club had reached an agreement in principle with Borussia Dortmund for Haaland’s transfer. The Norwegian striker officially joined Manchester City on July 1, 2022, after completing the necessary formalities and signing a five-year contract.
The transfer fee was widely reported at around £51.2 million (€60 million). The figure was linked to the release clause in Haaland’s Dortmund contract, making the deal significantly different from the much larger fees often associated with elite forwards.
At the time of his arrival, Haaland was already regarded as one of the most dangerous young strikers in European football. Manchester City noted that he had scored 86 goals in 89 appearances for Dortmund, following impressive spells at Molde and Red Bull Salzburg.
City manager Pep Guardiola’s side had been looking for a natural centre-forward following Sergio Aguero’s departure, and Haaland was brought in to strengthen the team’s attacking options.
The signing quickly proved significant. In his first season at the Etihad, Haaland scored 52 goals in all competitions, including a Premier League-record 36 goals in the 2022/23 campaign, while helping Manchester City win the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League treble.
The move also carried a personal connection for Haaland. His father, Alfie Haaland, previously played for Manchester City, while Erling had spoken about his admiration for the club and its style of football.
Since joining City, Haaland has continued to establish himself as one of the club's leading goalscorers. In January 2025, Manchester City announced that he had signed a new 10-year contract, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2034.