Real Madrid superstar emerges as Manchester City’s ‘number one target’ to replace Erling Haaland | OneFootball

The potential for a future Erling Haaland exit from Manchester City is already being mentioned and spoken about with regards to successors to the Norwegian.

While Haaland remains under contract at the Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2034 and continues to thrive under manager Pep Guardiola, speculation over a possible move to Spain has refused to go away.

Recent tenuous reports have claimed Real Madrid have made early contact with the striker’s representatives ahead of a possible 2026 move, signalling the start of what could become a major transfer saga involving two of Europe’s biggest players.

For Manchester City, Haaland’s importance cannot be overstated. The Norwegian’s goals have driven the club through a period of domestic and continental dominance since his arrival from Borussia Dortmund in 2022.

He has already claimed multiple individual awards and landmarks this season alone, including the Premier League Player of the Month for September, and surpassing 130 goals for the club to further cement his place as the most prolific forward in modern football.

However, with Real Madrid’s continued interest and the possibility of Haaland seeking a new challenge later in his career, reports in Spain now claim Manchester City have identified an extraordinary contingency plan.

According to a new report from Defensa Central, Pep Guardiola and City are ‘obsessed’ with Jude Bellingham, and with a potential for €200 million from a future Haaland sale, they would ‘go straight’ in for the England international.

After Bellingham decided to join Real Madrid rather than return to any of English football’s giants off the back of his stellar stay at Borussia Dortmund, it is claimed that events of 2023 are something they cannot get over in England.

That is also linked to those at Manchester City, who have not forgotten their long-standing desire to sign Bellingham, who will become their ‘number one target’ if they need a leader for their project after any future Haaland exit.

It is perhaps no secret that City have admired Bellingham for several years, with the club having previously attempted to bring him to the Etihad Stadium before his eventual move to the Santiago Bernabéu.

Pep Guardiola is believed to be an admirer of the midfielder’s intelligence, maturity, and ability to dictate games from central areas – attributes that could help reshape Manchester City’s next-generation team.

However, any potential pursuit of Bellingham would come with extraordinary financial and logistical challenges. Real Madrid are in no rush to part ways with perhaps their prized asset, who is already seen as the future face of the club. For City, it would likely take a record-breaking bid and the player’s own willingness to return to England to make such a move.

As things stand, both Haaland and Bellingham are crucial to their respective clubs, but City’s reported plan reflects a clear strategy; one focused on long-term leadership and maintaining elite standards beyond any potential superstar departures.