Manchester City face an uphill battle to convince Erling Haaland to move to the Premier League over LaLiga with the £63m in-demand star attracting attention from Real Madrid ahead of his expected Borussia Dortmund departure

• Manchester City are still in the race to sign Erling Haaland this summer
• Haaland can leave Borussia Dortmund once his €75m release clause is triggered 
• Norwegian has scored 55 times in 50 Bundesliga starts with Dortmund 
• Real Madrid are understood to be Haaland preferred destination 
• Darwin Nunez has scored 19 goals in 24 matches this term for Benfica

Manchester City face a battle convincing Erling Haaland to shun LaLiga for the Premier League.

Haaland, regarded as the best young striker in world football, appears destined to leave Borussia Dortmund at the end of this season once a reported €75million release clause is triggered.

The fee represents good value for a player who has plundered 27 goals in 22 appearances for club and country this term. 

The Norwegian’s scored 55 times in 50 Bundesliga starts since joining Dortmund two years ago.

Real Madrid are City’s main rivals for the signature of Haaland, who looks primed to cement himself as the continent’s preeminent marksman over the next decade.

While the 22-year-old has not made a decision on his future, he is understood to favour playing in Spain at this juncture of his career. 

Haaland will, however, keep his options during discussions with interested parties over the coming months.

Real’s pursuit is somewhat blurred by a desire to also land Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. 

Sources suggested Real would be hard-pressed to structure the financial packages required in wages for both superstars in a pandemic.

City are in the hunt and earmarked Haaland as their top target last year before it soon became clear he would stay put at Dortmund for at least another campaign.

Club chiefs moved on to Tottenham’s Harry Kane but were effectively priced out of a deal during a protracted summer saga following the European Championship.

They have been admirers of Benfica striker Darwin Nunez, who has 19 goals in 24 matches this term - including three in the Champions League group stage as the Portuguese side progressed to the last 16. 

City are also interested in Julian Alvarez at River Plate, although the Argentina international is considered an option for the future should he finalise a move.

Sergio Aguero’s departure for Barcelona left Pep Guardiola without a recognised striker – Gabriel Jesus had been converted into a winger – but they are on course to lift a fourth league title in five years regardless.

Victory at Southampton today would take Guardiola’s side 14 points clear of second-placed Liverpool, who will possess two games in hand. 

They will travel to the south coast without Riyad Mahrez, who has been afforded a week off after Algeria’s elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations.

Guardiola’s squad will be given a week’s holiday following the match after abandoning plans for a warm-weather break in Abu Dhabi. City do not play again until facing Fulham in the FA Cup on February 5.