Erling Haaland’s agent Mino Raiola has informed Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool that Real Madrid have withdrawn from the race to sign the striker, according to reports in England.

The La Liga side were hoping to snap up both the Norwegian international and Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe, but the latter’s £1m a week wage demands mean a double deal is almost impossible.

Haaland is believed to have made a move to the Bernabeu a priority, but this latest development will have massive ramifications as to where he could end up next summer.

A €75m (£63m) release clause in his contract at Borussia Dortmund will become active at the end of the season, leading to a scramble for the 21-year-old’s signature.

Real Madrid’s absence from proceedings, though, could significantly increase City’s chances of landing Haaland, with the Premier League champions having made the Norwegian one of their top transfer targets.