MANCHESTER CITY are ready to make Erling Haaland the country’s best-paid star with talks over a new deal worth £28.6million a year.

Haaland’s contract runs until 2027 and Etihad bosses had already sounded out his agent Rafaela Pimenta about adding another 12 months.

Erling Haaland has scored six goals in his first four Premier League games this season

Man City bosses had already sounded out his agent Rafaela Pimenta about adding another 12 months.

But this summer’s Saudi Arabian raids on the Premier League have further focused Man City.

And while even they cannot compete with the Middle East billions, they are prepared to up his weekly basic to £550,000 for the next five years.

Haaland — top earner at the Etihad with Kevin De Bruyne on £375,000 — could boost that even more with personal and team-related bonuses.

The Norwegian, who won both the PFA Player of the Year and Uefa’s version in midweek, hit his seventh City hat-trick on Saturday.

The Norwegian scored his eighth City hat-trick on Saturday after winning the PFA Player of the Year and the Uefa award in midweek.

Although Haaland, 23, has no release clause, Real Madrid still wants him.

Al-Ittihad’s $170 million offer for Mo Salah of Liverpool prompted City to make an effort to secure Haaland, whom they value at close to £300 million.

Despite the fact that negotiations for an extension until 2028 are about to begin, insiders close to the player insist that there is no indication that he is being courted by Saudi Arabia or the Bernabeu.

Earlier this week, Haaland was asked about potentially breaking Alan Shearer’s Premier League record of 260 goals.

To which he responded: “He scored a lot of goals and I don’t want to look too far ahead but I want to be right here, right now. I try to enjoy every single moment in my life.

“I have been playing in a really good team and they help me a lot.

“Individually I have to keep improving.”