English football is trembling at a possibility once thought unthinkable: Erling Haaland could leave Manchester City at the end of the season. The spark behind this earthquake was Keith Wyness, former Aston Villa CEO, who claimed in an interview with Sports Illustrated that “Haaland could leave” and that Real Madrid is preparing a move for the Norwegian striker. According to Wyness, rumors of a €200 million offer for Vinícius Jr. from Saudi Arabia could open the door for Madrid to fund the transfer of Europe’s most feared goalscorer.

Haaland’s Contract and the Shadow of the Bernabéu

The Norwegian, who recently extended his contract with Manchester City until 2034, earns €28.5 million per year and has repeatedly expressed his commitment to the club: “I’m City now, whatever happens,” he said after signing the renewal. However, rumors persist in the British press about a special release clause that would apply exclusively to Real Madrid.

And it’s no coincidence. At 25 years old, Haaland is having another monstrous season: 11 goals in 9 Premier League matches and 18 goals in all competitions. His hunger is endless—he already has 53 goals in 51 Champions League appearances, extraterrestrial numbers that keep building his legend. “I like being called Terminator. It’s brutal; I think it fits me,” he once joked when asked about his nicknames.

Xabi Alonso Stays Calm Amid the Noise

While transfer speculation runs wild, Xabi Alonso remains focused on the present. The Real Madrid manager has had an intense few weeks following the Vinícius Jr. incident in El Clásico but insists the squad “is focused” and that his job is “to be authentic and always think about what’s best for the team.” He also emphasized the importance of emotional management in a dressing room packed with stars like Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, and Vinícius himself.

The victory over Barcelona boosted morale inside the locker room, but Alonso refuses to relax: “When we drop our concentration, we lose points. We can’t allow that,” he warned ahead of the match against Valencia.

Even so, the echo of the Haaland rumor grows louder. A striker of his caliber wearing white would be the crown jewel of Florentino Pérez’s sporting project—one that already brought Mbappé and the world’s top young talents together. If Saudi money lures Vinícius away, Madrid could respond with the loudest move of the century: bringing the Premier League’s “Terminator” to the Bernabéu.