Manchester City may have gained the upper hand over Liverpool in the race to sign Norwegian sensation Erling Haaland, it has been reported.
The Dortmund striker is said to be mulling over offers to switch sponsorship deals – with City’s kit sponsors Puma said to be lining up a huge offer to land him.
The sports manufacturing giants reportedly want to sign the £150million-rated Norwegian striker as their new poster boy and will offer a whopping £50million over four years in an effort to lure him away from his current boot sponsors Nike, the Daily Star reports.
Haaland still has two years left to run on his current package with Nike but Puma’s existing sponsorship of BVB is likely to give the sporting giant an advantage when it comes to signing the player up to their books.
If he does make the switch, it could play into the hands of Premier League champions City in the pursuit of Haaland - thanks to their close business ties with Puma.
In addition to the long-term kit deal agreed in 2019 - worth an estimated £650m over 10 years - Pep Guardiola, Kyle Walker, Ederson and Oleksandr Zinchenko all have individual contracts with the German company.
The £150m-rated talent is set to be available for a much cheaper price next summer when his release clause becomes active.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has already publicly praised Haaland, calling the prolific striker a 'force of nature'.
“There is of course a danger with such an extraordinary talent,” he told German publication Bild when asked about Haaland.
“The boy is a force of nature. When he celebrated a goal, he hit the ball on the ground, so I wasn't sure if there was a dent in the ground.
“Sooner or later he will be in discussion with large clubs. I don't know if that will be the case next year, but then Dortmund will have to counter it."
