Manchester United pulled the plug on deal to sign Erling Haaland for just €20 million

Manchester United pulled the plug on a move for Erling Haaland, despite the Norwegian looking like he was heading to Old Trafford.

Haaland had a queue of clubs monitoring his situation after the prolific forward impressed for Red Bull Salzburg, where he scored in his first five Champions League games.

United registered strong interest in Haaland and there was of course the link with then-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The two worked together at Molde when Solskjaer was managing the club for a second time. Haaland scored 20 goals in 50 games under the former Manchester United forward.

According to ESPN, the pair met in December 2019, with Solskjaer leaving with the feeling that an agreement to sign him for €20 million was near enough complete.

However, Ed Woodward, United's executive-vice-chairman refused to do the deal due to Mino Raiola's agent fees and the insistence of a release clause in Haaland's contract.

Borussia Dortmund swooped in and snapped up Haaland on a four-year deal at the end of December 2019 - agreeing to the release clause being inserted - but ensuring it could only be activated in 2022.

At Dortmund Haaland developed into one of the deadliest strikers in world football before penning a deal with Manchester City.

Back in June, the Blues confirmed his signature after the club agreed to pay the player's £64 million release clause.

Haaland penned a five-year deal at the Etihad worth a reported £375,000-a-week, a contract that rivals Kevin De Bruyne as the club's top earner.

In terms of release clauses, it is claimed that at the end of 2024 – which would be at the end of his second year at Manchester City – clubs will be able to sign the Haaland for a sum of €200 million.

Then, at the end of his third year of contract – the summer of 2025 – a club will have the opportunity to sign the player for a sum of €175 million.

That being said, these figures cannot be activated by a club immediately.

Although they are not specified, the availability of these release clauses in Haaland's contract are linked to achieving minimum sporting objectives at Manchester City.

It is stated in the Marca report that once these objectives have been completed by Haaland during his time at the Etihad, then the player will then have the possibility of terminating his contract through either of the release clauses.

In addition to the above details, Spanish publication AS claim Real Madrid will look to replace Karim Benzema in 2024 with Haaland, who will have a €200 million release clause in that summer window.