Arne Slot has become the first Premier League manager to give his thoughts on Erling Haaland’s extraordinary new contract.
On Friday morning, news broke that Haaland, 24, had penned a new nine-and-a-half-year deal, which will keep him at Manchester City until 2034.
Any release clauses included in his old deal have been “removed" according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, with the previous terms set to expire in 2027.
At the point his new deal expires, the forward will be 34 years old. Haaland is set to pocket a staggering wage of at least £500,000 per week, according to TBR.
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This would make him City's and the Premier League's highest-paid player, with his teammate Kevin De Bruyne currently topping the salary list with a wage of £400,000 per week, according to Capology.
Given the situations of Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk, Slot, 46, is used to answering questions about contracts and he did so on Friday morning.
"We know how good we have to be every single day to compete in this league,” said Slot in a press conference on Friday.
“It is not only the club you are referring to. Chelsea have also spent £1.2 billion and United have spent an incredible amount.
“Every team spends a lot of money over here, that's why it's such an interesting league to be part of. Some seasons this clubs spends a bit more, the other season other clubs spend a bit more.
“That's what makes this league so intense and so difficult to win. But that's also the reason why we all want to be here, because you want to compete against the best, with the best. We are very happy with the team we have at the moment. We are still able to compete with all these teams that are spending an incredible amount of money.”
Of course, Slot will be hoping his players can replicate Haaland's commitment to City by signing a new contract.
Salah, 32, Alexander-Arnold, 26, and Van Dijk, 33, are all set to see their contracts expire this summer, with the trio all able to negotiate pre-contract agreements with foreign clubs.
Liverpool are next in action on Saturday, when they will travel to the Gtech Community Stadium where they are set to face Brentford.
Topics: Premier League, Manchester City, Erling Haaland, Football, Transfers
Luke Davies