Pep: Don’t expect miracles, Haaland needs time

PEP GUARDIOLA will give super striker Erling Haaland as much time he needs to settle in at Manchester City and prove he is the ultimate goal machine.

City beat off the competition and snapped up Haaland for a bargain £51million initial fee from Borussia Dortmund.

But as he prepares to welcome him to the Etihad this summer, Guardiola is surprised some critics feel the powerful 21-year-old Norwegian is not a natural fit for City’s style of play.

Guardiola said: “I hear he’s not going to adapt to the way we play and I would like to ask ‘how is the way we play?’

“I’m pretty sure those

who ask don’t know it. I’m pretty sure he will adapt well – like Julian Alvarez this summer coming from Argentina and we’re going to help him to adapt well.

Positives

“That always happens. Players when they are good – and normally they are at clubs like City – they have good energy to see positives.

“They understand we want to help them and our way to play, it is so simple really.

“I’m pretty

sure about Haaland. But to give you a real opinion I have to work with him first.

“When he scores thes amount of goals he has it’s because he’s good.

“But especially important is that he is arriving in a new country, a new house and new friends.

“All these kinds of things he has to adjust to.

“That’s why before he starts here, he should have a good holiday, prepare well, and come with no injuries to work and play with us.

“If it takes weeks, great. If it takes months, great. He hasn’t come here for two, three months, he’s come for many years, I hope.

“So if he needs more time, we give him more time. We’ll try to help him and I’m pretty sure he’ll try to help us – so I

don’t have any doubts about that.” Of immediate concern for Guardiola is securing their fourth Premier League crown in five years against Aston Villa today.

Even club icons Vincent Kompany and Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero (together left) and David Silva did not manage that.

Guardiola has hailed City’s past legends for laying the foundations for his presentday stars to keep on winning.

He added: “They helped us be in the position we are. We’re here as a consequence of what happened in the past. A lot of work went on in the first season when we didn’t win.

“When I arrived, the people here said the Premier League is so difficult, the toughest one.

Magnitude

“Everyone wins, different teams. It was just Sir Alex Ferguson with United who was able to win three or four championships, four in five years.

“So when that happens, you realise the magnitude of United in that period, that they were able to do it many times.

“We are close to doing it and being part of that, and we have to try to take it.

“Just being in this position, so close to doing it makes it so good.”

And Guardiola believes the hunger for even more glory will drive his stars on next season... and beyond.

“If we had this energy this season and the previous seasons, why should we not have it next season?” he said.

“When next season starts this will be forgotten. We will have new players and I think the competition itself makes this energy.”