Erling Haaland has risen to superstar status in his first year with Manchester City, setting the Premier League single-season goal scoring record and leading the club to both a domestic double and a Champions League final.
The Norwegian, still just 22 years old, has risen to be a top global player, proving a threat in front of goal anytime he steps on the pitch.
Yet he was surprisingly cheap for Manchester City to acquire, arriving from German club Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2022 for a relatively low price for a player of his youth and skill.
So how did one of the world's best young players cost so little, given how much time he played at the highest level? Every transfer is unique in its narrative, and that's on full display with the budding Norwegian superstar's move to Manchester City.
MORE: Can Erling Haaland break Messi and Ronaldo's European goal scoring records?
How much did Haaland cost Man City?
Erling Haaland arrived at the Etihad Stadium from Dortmund for a fee of €60 million (£52m / $62.6m). Man City won out ahead of a number of other clubs who were also willing to pay a similar price, including Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, according to reports.
The 22-year-old had spent two seasons with the German club, scoring 49 Bundesliga goals in 52 matches, plus another 15 goals in 13 Champions League matches.
Haaland had joined Dormtund in the summer of 2020 following a two-year career at RB Salzburg, moving to the Austrian side from his boyhood club Molde in Norway.
MORE: Explaining Erling Haaland's goal celebrations
Why was Haaland transfer fee so low?
Erling Haaland's production has been worth his weight in gold, and certainly more valuable than the relatively cheap transfer fee he garnered in the summer of 2022.
Yet every transfer fee has a story, and is not always a direct reflection of a player's worth or value. In Haaland's case, that's absolutely true.
Erling Haaland's Borussia Dortmund contract had a €60 million release clause that Man City merely had to trigger to force a move. However, that is far from the total cost of the transfer.
The Norwegian's switch to Man City also came with a supremely hefty agent fee of €40 million (£34.66m / $41.7m) according to multiple reports, including The Athletic. That fee was reportedly split between his agency, run by Rafaela Pimienta (who took over the agency after the death of Mino Raiola), and Haaland's father, Alfie Haaland, who played for Man City during his career.
MORE: Who is Erling Haaland's father?
They also agreed to wages of €432,000 per week (£375k / $451k) according to reports, which puts him level with the club's highest earners, including Kevin De Bruyne.
Still, that total cash cost when combining transfer fee and personal terms is still worth it, as Haaland set goal scoring records at just 22 years old, and promises to be one of the best strikers in Europe for the next decade.
