Erling in... Pep stays

HAALAND’S GIVEN ASSURANCES ON CITY BOSS AS HE TARGETS BALLON D’OR GLORY

Real Madrid v Manchester City Champions League, Wednesday, 8pm EXCLUSIVE

MANCHESTER CITY believe Pep Guardiola will sign a new contract this summer – even if he leads the Blues to Champions League glory.

Guardiola has one more season left on his contract, but talks have already taken place with his agent brother Pere about extending his stay at the Etihad until 2025.

And the message is that the Catalan has unfinished business in Manchester – even if City become European champions next month.

There have been suggestions that Guardiola will walk away if he lifts the Champions League for the first time as a manager without Lionel Messi in his team.

But Guardiola believes the team he has built is yet to peak.

City are closing in on Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland.

And a huge part of negotiations with the Norwegian’s father Alfie involved Guardiola’s future.

We revealed in February that Haaland senior, a former City player, was taking a more hands-on role in brokering his son’s next move as his agent, Mino Raiola, was seriously ill.

Tragically, the 54-year-old Italian died yesterday.

City have informed Dortmund that they are willing to trigger Haaland’s £63million release clause after being assured that the player sees the opportunity to work under Guardiola as too good to refuse.

The 51-year-old former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager (right) has brought unprecedented pulling power to City during his six years with the club.

And Etihad bosses are now so confident that he will stay beyond 2023 that the groundwork to identify a potential successor remains on the back burner.

A deal with Haaland has been agreed in principle after the 21-year-old realised that a move to City, rather than Real Madrid, would be best for his development. Haaland has designs on winning the Ballon d’Or as well as the game’s top trophies.

And while City’s Champions League semi-final with Madrid is still in the balance after the Blues’ epic 4-3 first-leg victory last week, the Spanish club need to rebuild their squad. City have been searching for a top

striker for the last three years after it became clear that the clock was ticking on Sergio Aguero’s career.

Guardiola was able to win the title for the third time in four years last season, despite Aguero’s struggles with injuries and illness.

He was hugely frustrated by the failure to force through a deal for Tottenham’s Harry Kane.

Now City are prepared to hand Haaland a big signing-on fee and wages to match £400,000-a-week top earner Kevin De Bruyne.

City could raise over £100m in the summer by selling Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling. Jesus is wanted by Arsenal, but City value the Brazilian at around £40m.

And Sterling’s unsettled future will also be decided at the end of the season as his contract moves into its final 12 months.

Guardiola wants a central midfielder to replace long-serving Brazilian Fernandinho as well as a new left-back.

He is an admirer of Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse.

Manchester United, Spurs and Arsenal are also tracking the 27-year-old, who has starred for Saints again this season.

HAALAND OF HOPE & GLORY Haaland is ready to follow in his dad’s footsteps and join City