NOW CITY WANT TO HAALAND THE BIG ONE

Erling has the Champions League theme as his ringtone and City hope his goals will move the dial and propel them to Euro success

ERLING HAALAND has such an affinity with the Champions League, he has made the tournament’s iconic anthem the ringtone on his phone.

Manchester City and their boss, Pep Guardiola, will hope Haaland’s love affair with the competition can finally lead them to a first European crown.

Haaland’s £51million move to City from Borussia Dortmund, on a five-year deal worth £375,000 a week, has made the Premier League champions even more formidable.

With 86 goals in 89 appearances for Dortmund, he is unquestionably the most talented and prolific young striker in Europe, with 135 goals in 183 career games, at the age of just 21. And while

City’s domestic dominance is assured, with four title triumphs in five years, the last frontier for them to conquer is Europe – with Haaland’s arrival giving them no excuses for falling short again.

The Norway international set a record by reaching 20 Champions League goals in just 14 matches, and tends to save his top form for the competition that brings out the best in him.

In total, Haaland has 23 goals from 19 Champions League games and the best minutes-per-goal ratio in the tournament’s history, scoring every 64 minutes on average.

Asked about his ringtone being the instantly recognisable Champions League anthem, Haaland (pictured in his City shirt as a child and after completing his move yesterday, below) said: “It still is! I’ve always liked the Champions League, so that’s a bit of a reason why.

“It’s a bit more special, in my eyes, and I like it.”

City beat the rest of Europe’s top clubs to the signing of Haaland, in no small part due to the connection his father, Alf-Inge, has with the Blues.

Haaland senior, 49, captained City during a three-year stint with the club, from 2000 to 2003, his son explaining how that connection led to him following in his footsteps. “First of all, it was my father, a little bit,” said Haaland. “He lived in England, he played for the club. Of course, a lot of things have changed in the last 20 years, but he lived here, so he knows what it is.

“We’ve just been speaking about basically how it is, what’s the best for me, what’s this, what’s that, and to try to find out everything. He’s been a good dad in that thing there.

“I was born in England. I’ve been a City fan my whole life, I know a lot about the club. In the end, it was two things. I feel at home here and also I think I can develop and get the best out of my game at City.”

Haaland, who played at the Etihad Stadium

for Dortmund against City last season, is relishing the prospect of playing regularly there.

“I have been there a couple of times before, watching games,” he said. “I like it. It’s beautiful, I like the colour. And I played there, also. It’s a huge stadium and I’m looking forward to playing there.”

Haaland is also looking forward to linking up with City and England midfielder Phil Foden and forming a devastating understanding with his new team-mate, who is just two months older.

“I’ve been watching a lot of City games for as long as I can remember,” added Haaland.

“I’ve also watched Phil – he’s an amazing player, still talented because he’s still young.

“He’s an amazing player, he still has to develop and then we can really talk!”