Manchester City have this morning unveiled Erling Haaland after the player completed a £51million move from Borussia Dortmund last month; the Norweigan has signed a contract until the summer of 2027.
No shirt number has been assigned to Haaland at the moment, suggesting that he will wear the number 9 shirt once – as expected – it is vacated by Gabriel Jesus, who has a number of suitors within England's top flight. Should the Brazilian remain at the club, it is widely expected that Haaland will don the available number 15 shirt worn by his father Alfie for the Blues between 2000 and 2003.
Speaking to the club website, the Norway international has expressed his delight at joining the Premier League champions:
"I have always watched City and have loved doing so in recent seasons. You can’t help but admire their style of play, it’s exciting and they create a lot of chances, which is perfect for a player like me."
"I want to score goals, win trophies and improve as a footballer and I am confident I can do that here. This is a great move for me and I can’t wait to get started in pre-season."
The 21-year-old is not treading an unknown path for the Haaland family at City after his father Alfie did so two decades ago; speaking on the family and personal connection to the club, Erling said:
"This is a proud day for me and my family."
Why City?
"First of all, my father, a little bit. I was born in England. I have been a City fan my whole life. I know a lot about the club. In the end, [deciding to sign was down to] two things. I feel at home here and I feel I can develop and get the best out of my game at City. I like the style [of play]. I like the attacking football. I like the positive vibe we have when City play football. This is what I like a lot, so I think it’s a good fit."
Haaland has also expressed his excitement at the prospect of working with 'one of the greatest managers of all time' in Pep Guardiola:
"There are so many world-class players in this squad and Pep is one of the greatest managers of all time, so I believe I am in the right place to fulfil my ambitions."
Director of Football Txiki Begiristain, who is reported to have played a key role in securing the prodigious young talent along with Chief Football Operations Officer Omar Berrada, said:
"We have been monitoring Erling for several years now, so we are delighted to bring him here to Manchester City. He is a huge talent and has been one of the best strikers in Europe over the last few seasons. His goalscoring record is exceptional and his performances at Borussia Dortmund and in the Champions League, in particular, have proved he can succeed at the highest level."
"Erling has everything we want in a striker and we are certain he will excel in this squad and this system. His rise has been remarkable, but he is still only 21. His best years are ahead of him and we are confident he can get even better working with Pep. This is a very exciting signing for our club, and I am sure our fans will enjoy watching Erling perform in this team."
Haaland scored 29 goals and assisted 8 more in 30 appearances across all competitions for Dortmund last season, which took his record with the Bundesliga side to 86 goals and 23 assists in 89 appearances since he joined in 2020. The 6'3 behemoth is also fresh off five goals in four games for Noway in the UEFA Nations League this summer, taking his international record to 20 goals in 21 appearances.
The signing of Haaland signals a new chapter in the Guardiola era at City with the inevitable return to a striker-centred system not seen since Sergio Aguero was fit and firing for the Blues more than two years ago.
And with the acquisition of 2021's South American Footballer of the Year in Julian Alvarez – and the promise of more signings from chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak – the upcoming season promises to be a very exciting one for the defending champions.
Written by: @NA1907_
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