Haaland's camp slaps down Real Madrid talk
Erling Haaland's father Alfie and agent Rafaela Pimenta have issued a joint statement denying any deal with Real Madrid, after presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme promised to sign the striker.
Pimenta and Alfie Haaland said: "Tudo muito divertido, mas não é verdade. Desejamos boa sorte aos dois candidatos nas eleições do Real Madrid", roughly: "All very entertaining but NOT true. We wish both candidates good luck in the elections."
The denial comes as reports in Spain confirm Haaland has a release clause in his City contract (1) (4) (6). The Real Madrid elections take place on June 7 (1). Riquelme's rival candidate also made wild promises, guaranteeing the arrival of José Mourinho, so City fans can treat this as election-season noise for now (7) (8).
Get the next Manchester City FC brief by email
This article went out to subscribers as a brief. Get the next one straight to your inbox, free.
Free · No spam · Unsubscribe anytime
Anderson bid rejected, United lurking
Manchester City have seen an opening bid for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson turned down (2) (5). The England international is also being tracked by Manchester United, who have reportedly "not given up" on beating City to the signing (2).
City's pursuit remains ongoing, but Forest are holding firm for now.
Galatasaray chase free agent Bernardo
Galatasaray have made a new offer for Bernardo Silva following his departure from Manchester City (3). The Portuguese midfielder is now a free agent after his contract expired, and the Turkish side are pushing hard to bring him in. No word yet on whether Bernardo is tempted by the move.
Fan reactions
The Anderson bid has split opinion, some fans see him as a shrewd homegrown addition, others think the squad needs a higher-calibre replacement for the departing Silva. The Haaland denial has been met with relief, with supporters dismissing the Real Madrid election promises as pure theatre. Join the discussion