Manchester City are huge admirers of Girona striker Artem Dovbyk and see the La Liga Golden Boot winner as a potential replacement should Erling Haaland leave the Premier League giants somewhere down the line.
HITC reported back in February that Pep Guardiola‘s side were trying to persuade the Norway international to sign fresh terms at the Etihad Stadium.
Erling Haaland‘s current deal includes a release clause which will come into effect during the summer of 2025. We understand the figure is around £170 million. A fee which would obviously be beyond most clubs on the planet, but Manchester City are understandably keen to ensure they do not suffer the same fate as Barcelona did when Paris Saint-Germain stunned the world and triggered Neymar’s eye-watering clause back in 2017.
HITC can now reveal that Haaland has no interest in signing a contract that would remove that aforementioned release clause. The former Red Bull Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund striker wants the freedom to control his own destiny, even if he is currently very happy with life at the Premier League champions.
Still, Man City are drawing up succession plans should Haaland depart 12 months from now, with Barcelona extremely interested.
Manchester City identify Erling Haaland replacement
We understand that City are massive fans of Artem Dovbyk. The Ukraine international plays for City’s Spanish-based sister club Girona, and won La Liga’s Golden Boot last term as Michel’s free-scoring side secured Champions League qualification for the very first time.
Atletico Madrid are in talks to sign Dovbyk. But the City Football Group are hoping to install some sort of buy-back clause in the Ukraine international’s deal. Ensuring that – if he does join forces with Diego Simeone – Man City would be able to bring him to England for a set fee should Haaland say his goodbyes in the near future.
26-year-old Dovbyk, while not quite as prolific as Haaland, shares a few similarities with arguably world football’s finest finisher. He left-footed. A strong, physically imposing presence at 6ft 2ins, while also offering searing pace off the shoulder.
Dovbyk was even labelled ‘La Liga’s Haaland’ by Spanish publication Diario AS a few weeks back.
Artem Dovbyk has admirers at Etihad Stadium
Formerly of Midtjylland in Denmark, Dovbyk has now scored the most goals in his league for three years in a row. Twice with Dnipro in Ukraine and once with Girona, netting 24 in 2023/24 after hitting 29 in his final season back home.
“He can play in any top league,” veteran Ukrainian coach Oleg Fedorchuk explains. “It all depends on the style of the team.”
Interestingly, Fedorchuk did suggest that Dovbyk would not quite fit in at City. That is before, however, the Manchester giants brought in Haaland, Guardiola adapting his game model to suit a powerhouse number nine.
“He was the best attacking player (in Ukraine),” Fedorchuk adds. “(He has) a lot of speed, outstanding physical strength and a good left foot.”
Man City have already agreed to sign one member of Girona’s Champions League-securing squad. Savio, the twinkle-toed winger who has drawn comparisons with Vinicius Junior, is on his way.
Aleix Garcia, the former City youngster, is heading to Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen meanwhile.
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