Erling Haaland’s mega-money new Manchester City contract has seen him become one of the highest-paid footballers in the world.
The 24-year-old has signed a stunning nine-and-a-half-year deal at the Etihad in what is one of sport’s most lucrative pay packages.
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Haaland has become arguably the deadliest striker in world football since linking up with the Citizens from Borussia Dortmund in 2022.
He has banged in 111 goals from 126 matches in all competitions – winning back-to-back Premier League golden boots, and titles.
And he has ended any uncertainty over his future amid persistent Real Madrid links to ensure his prime will be spent playing at City.
talkSPORT understands the Norway international, now the Premier League’s most expensive player in history, will bank a cool £500,000-a-week – £100k more than his previous salary.
It means Haaland will pocket £26m per year and a whopping £247m in total should he see out his contract until 2034.
To break that down even further, the former Red Bull Salzburg star will take home over £2.16m-a-month, working out to an eye-watering £71.2k per day.
The 2023 Champions League winner will also earn around £3k every hour and almost £50 per minute.
In total, it is the 22nd most lucrative contract in sport today – behind the likes of MLB star Juan Soto, NFL king Patrick Mahomes and even F1 world champion Max Verstappen.
But to put his astronomical salary into perspective, it’s not a shadow of what top football earner Cristiano Ronaldo gets in Saudi Arabia at Al Nassr.
Ronaldo linked up with the Middle East outfit in January 2023 on a two-and-a-half-year deal.
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It is believed he is taking home £167.9m-a-year, which works out at £3.2m per week and £420m over the duration of his stay in the Gulf nation.
The riches on offer in Saudi Arabia has seen a number of world class talents jump ship from Europe to experience a new adventure in a growing league.
Neymar is the second highest paid footballer today – pocketing £2.65m-a-week at Al Hilal after joining from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023.
Over the course of his two year contract, which expires this summer, he stands to earn £276m.
Though it hasn’t proven to be money well spent by the club, with injuries limiting the player to just seven appearances in all competitions.
It has led to the Brazilian being omitted from their Saudi Pro League squad for the second half of the season, with a move to the MLS potentially on the cards.
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Another player earning a pretty penny in Saudi Arabia is Al Ittihad’s Karim Benzema, who takes home £1.6m every week.
Fourth on the list is eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, who plies his trade in America at Inter Miami.
It has been claimed that the 2022 World Cup champion is on an £865k salary in the Magic City.
Though it is Haaland who stands to earn more from his overall contract, with Messi to earn £112.5m from his two-and-a-half-year deal.
Moving back to Saudi Arabia, and ex-Liverpool winger Sadio Mane boasts a £650k weekly salary at Al Nassr.
And Haaland’s ex-City teammate Riyad Mahrez then sits in sixth spot following his switch to Al Ahli in 2023.
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Largest sports contracts
- Juan Soto [MLB] – £803k [weekly] – £41.8m [yearly] – £627m (duration of contract, 15-years)
- Shohei Ohtani [MLB] – £1.1m – £57.3m – £573m (Ten years)
- Cristiano Ronaldo [Football] – £3.2m – £167.9m – £420m (2.5 years)
- Patrick Mahomes [NFL] – £709k – £36.9m £369m (Ten years)
- Mike Trout [MLB] – £554k – £38.8m – £346m (12 years)
- Neymar [Football] – £2.65m – £138m – £276m (Two years)
- Karim Benzema [Football] – £1.6m – £83m – £250m (Three years)
- Mookie Betts [MLB] – £479k – £24.9m – £299m (12 years)
- Aaron Judge [MLB] – £630k – £32.7m – £295m (Nine years)
- Manny Machado [MLB] – £611k – £31.8m – £350m [11 years]
- Franciso Lindor [MLB] – £536k – £27.9m – £279m [Ten years]
- Fernando Tatis Jr [MLB] – £381k – £19.8m – £278m [14 years]
- Max Verstappen [F1] – £865k – £45m – £270m [Six years]
- Bryce Harper [MLB] – £399k – £20.7m – £270m [13 years]
- Giancarlo Stanton [MLB] – £393k – £20.4m – £266m [13 years]
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto [MLB] – £426k – £22.1m – £266m [12 years]
- Corey Seager [MLB] – £511k – £26.6m – £266m [Ten years]
- Gerrit Cole – £424k – £22m – £265m [Nine years]
- Jaysum Tatum [NBA] – £988k – £51.4m – £257m [Five years]
- Rafael Devers [MLB] – £494k – £25.69m – £256.9m [Ten years]
- Jaylen Brown [NBA] – £957k – £49.7m – £248.9m [Five years]
- ERLING HAALAND [Football] – £500k – £26m – £247m [9.5 years]
The Algerian signed a three-year deal in Jeddah, where he pockets £580k-a-week.
Haaland then completes the top seven of highest-paid footballers based on a weekly salary.
However, of the 22 most expensive contracts in the sporting world, his £500k-per-week places him 22nd in the rankings.
While Ronaldo takes first place in the football charts, it’s baseball star Soto who boasts the costliest sports contract having signed a £627m deal to join the New York Mets from their crosstown arch rivals the Yankees.
Soto is one of 13 MLB players in the top 22, with there being no set salary in baseball and players often tied down to long-term contracts.
For Haaland, he will be looking to block out noise regarding his mega-money deal and continue to perform on the pitch, with the forward hoping to get on the score sheet at Ipswich on Sunday.
