Manchester City have won the race to sign Erling Haaland, with a £63 million deal anticipated to be finalized in the coming days.

After defeating Real Madrid to recruit Europe's most prolific teenage striker, City are preparing to officially activate the release clause in Haaland's Borussia Dortmund contract.

After accepting personal terms at the Etihad, Haaland, 21, will be one of City's top earners on £300,000 per week, joining the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, and Jack Grealish. Given that the City is paying at least half of his market worth for Haaland, they have decided to put him in the same pay band as their greatest earners, despite his age and relative inexperience.

After Haaland opted for City over Real and personal terms were agreed, the reigning Premier League champions notified Dortmund of their intention to trigger his release clause. City decided to move for Haaland after failing to land Tottenham striker Harry Kane last summer, with Spurs wanting around £140m for the England captain.

Haaland and his father, former City and Leeds midfielder Alf-Inge, assessed all of his options for the next stage of his phenomenal career and were swayed by Pep Guardiola and his style of play.

They felt Guardiola's style not only best suited Haaland's own way of playing, but the club also represented his best chance of sustained success in what will arguably be the peak years of his career.

With Karim Benzema still in prolific form for Real at 34, Haaland and his camp felt City was the right move, with the young forward guaranteed a regular starting place under Pep Guardiola.

Born in Leeds, Norway striker Haaland began his career at Norwegian clubs Bryne and Molde, then spent a year at Austria’s Red Bull Salzburg, before joining Dortmund in January 2020. Haaland has plundered a remarkable haul of 85 goals in 88 appearances for Dortmund and had the pick of Europe's top clubs for his next move, but opted for City, where he will spearhead the attack.