Is Erling Haaland Man City's most expensive signing? Top transfer fees in Pep Guardiola's squad

Dom Farrell

Is Erling Haaland Man City's most expensive signing? Top transfer fees in Pep Guardiola's squad image

Erling Haaland has joined Manchester City in a huge transfer coup for the Premier League champions.

Norway striker Haaland, 21, bade farewell to Borussia Dortmund after their concluding Bundesliga match against Hertha Berlin, having scored a staggering 86 goals in 89 appearances.

Huge numbers in terms of wages and agents fees have been attached to City's deal for Haaland, who is expected to join Kevin De Bruyne among the club's top earners.

But in terms of the transfer fee alone, Pep Guardiola and his director of football Txiki Begiristain are getting a steal on account of Haaland's release clause.

Reports by Fabrizio Romano and The Times suggest City only had to pay €60million (£51.5m) to activate the clause — lower than the initially claimed €75m. It means that Haaland will not be City's most expensive signing of all time.

In fact, he won't even make the top five as he prepares to join these seven players who cost more than him in pure transfer fees within the City dressing room. 

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*denotes part-exchange deal

Jack Grealish (£100m)

In a theme that you'll recognise as a recurring move for Begiristain in the transfer market, City paid a release clause in Grealish's Villa contract to make him the most expensive British footballer in history last year. Looking solely at his return in terms of goals and assists — as any attacking player in such a bracket must expect to be judged — the England playmaker has been a disappointment this term. 

Nevertheless, Guardiola has trusted him with plenty of minutes and frequently praised his contribution. As a few of the players below can vouch for, a second season under the Catalan tactician often brings a leap forward from your first — perhaps a warning to expect a few teething problems for man-of-the-moment Haaland.

Jack Grealish, Man City 2021-22

Ruben Dias (£64m)*

City erred in failing to replace talismanic captain Vincent Kompany before the start of the 2019/20 season, with a cruciate ligament injury to Aymeric Laporte leaving City creaking further in the centre of defence. Liverpool duly waltzed away with their first Premier League title in 30 years.

A new centre-back remained a priority in a summer when City flirted with a blockbuster move for Lionel Messi, although Dias was not their first choice. It proved a stroke of fortune that Kalidou Koulibaly and Jules Kounde did not prove viable as the Portugal international became an instantly transformative presence and finished a triumphant campaign as the FWA Footballer of the Year. Nicolas Otamendi moved in the other direction to Benfica for £13.7m.

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Rodri (£62.8m)

In 2019, City moved for Fernandinho's long-term replacement the base of their midfield. Along with a footballing culture that produces players such as Rodri, a deep-lying playmaker in the mould of Sergio Busquets and Guardiola himself, LaLiga regulations stipulating all players must have a release clause written into their contracts makes it an attractive place for City to do business — free from the risk of being drawn into bidding wars.

Initially, Rodri struggled to adapt to the pace of the Premier League nor provide adequate protection to the makeshift back four behind him. However, in a more settled team structure, he has excelled to the extent he is one of the most important players in Guardiola's XI. A thunderous right foot and strong aerial ability mean he can also be counted upon to weigh in with a decent share of goals, finishing 2021/22 with seven in the Premier League.

Riyad Mahrez (£60m)

City first looked to bring in Mahrez after Guardiola's long-held designs on Alexis Sanchez collapsed when the Arsenal forward instead opted for an ill-fated January 2018 move to Manchester United. They returned to Leicester City and got their man that summer, although Mahrez initially found the going tough as Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane remained Guardiola's preferred wingers.

The Algeria international, such a phenomenal soloist when inspiring the Foxes to Premier League glory in 2015/16, has gradually adapted to the demands of his manager's system. He remains never too far from a touchline dressing down, but the 24 in all competitions that made him City's top scorer this past season — along with a knack for big Champions League goals — speak for themselves.

mahrez-celebrate.jpeg

Joao Cancelo (£60m)*

Signed as Danilo went in the other direction to Juventus for £34.1m, Cancelo was another who found it tough to acclimatise to Guardiola's methods after joining in 2019 and was considering his future when lockdown arrived later that season.

Nowadays, Cancelo has not only cracked the style but has come to define its latest iteration as a playmaking inverted full-back comfortable on either flank.

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Aymeric Laporte (£57m)

Guardiola wanted to sign Laporte from Athletic Bilbao ahead of his first season at City in 2016 before the centre-back opted to remain with the Basque club. But Begiristain's LaLiga release-clause policy meant he remained on the radar and became City's record signing midway through their 2017/18 100-point campaign.

Laporte's ability as an elegant left-footed ballplayer from deep has made him integral to Guardiola's side, even if a tendency for high-profile errors does stain his work from time to time.

Kevin De Bruyne (£54m)

The player with whom a Haaland link-up is perhaps the most tantalising of anyone in the City squad. Guardiola's new striker will surely be licking his lips at the prospect of getting on the end of those precision throughballs and inviting crosses.

De Bruyne's arrival at City predated Guardiola by a year, as he arrived for the final season of Manuel Pellegrini's reign. At the time, the Belgium midfielder's failed stint at Chelsea meant many baulked at the price but it looks a snip today, with De Bruyne a two-time PFA Players' Player of the Year and a modern City great.

Dom Farrell

Dom Farrell Photo

Dom is the senior content producer for Sporting News UK. He previously worked as fan brands editor for Manchester City at Reach Plc. Prior to that, he built more than a decade of experience in the sports journalism industry, primarily for the Stats Perform and Press Association news agencies. Dom has covered major football events on location, including the entirety of Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup in Paris and St Petersburg respectively, along with numerous high-profile Premier League, Champions League and England international matches. Cricket and boxing are his other major sporting passions and he has covered the likes of Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Wladimir Klitschko, Gennadiy Golovkin and Vasyl Lomachenko live from ringside.