Man City 'surprised' Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has not recognised Erling Haaland's historic new contract as club braces for final verdict in 115-charge FFP case

The prolific Norwegian striker, who already has two top-flight titles in England and a couple of Golden Boots to his name, has penned a stunning 10-year deal at the Etihad Stadium. Those terms are intended to keep him in his current surroundings until 2034.

Haaland agreeing such a contract is considered to be a major coup not just for defending champions City, but the Premier League as a whole. The 24-year-old frontman is often used as the face of global marketing campaigns that help to promote English football around the world.

Richard Masters, as chief executive of the Premier League, would have been expected to comment on a deal that is big news for the brand that he controls. Haaland’s agreement has however, as reported by the Daily Mail, been met with silence by those at EPL headquarters.

That has come as some surprise to City – who made Premier League history last season when claiming a fourth-successive title triumph – but they have been locked in a 115-charge Financial Fair Play battle and other legal arguments with the English authorities and are still waiting to discover what punishments, if any, they will face when it comes to supposed financial misconduct in Manchester.