Erling drawn to Blues by his family ties
EMOTIONAL REASON BEHIND SUPERSTAR SIGNING FOR BLUES
ERLING Haaland has told City he wanted to join them for emotional and football reasons only after clinching a £51m move from Borussia Dortmund.
The transfer has still to be finalised but the Blues have already announced the 21-year-old Norway international is set to join them on July 1 on a five-year deal.
The transfer release fee City have paid is much lower than the £64m that has been widely touted.
Haaland will become one of the top earners at the club, in the same bracket as Kevin de Bruyne.
But the player, whose dad and former City star Alf Inge helped to complete the deal during the illness and recent death of his agent Mino Raiola, has made it plain he could have got the same salary at any of the other clubs who were chasing him - understood to be Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.
And he made it plain that his lifelong connection to City - he was a boyhood supporter through his dad’s strong connection to the club, has frequently been pictured in City shorts and has attended several games down the years - was one of two major factors in his decision to head to the Etihad Stadium after bringing his Dortmund career to a close.
The other big factor was a football one - the chance to work with Pep Guardiola and play alongside talents such as De Bruyne and Phil Foden, which he feels gives him the best chance of fulfilling his desire to win both domestic and European trophies.
Haaland has been one of the hottest properties in world football since it became plain he was ready to leave Dortmund, where he has scored 85 goals in 88 appearances, with United and Barcelona also among teams who registered an interest in signing him.
Haaland is set to say a fond farewell to Dortmund fans at their final game of the season, against Hertha Berlin on Sunday. He is expected to link up with City during pre-season training in July and should be available for the Blues’ US summer tour, despite being expected to play Euro Nations League games for Norway next month.
A club statement read: “Manchester City can confirm we have reached an agreement in principle with Borussia Dortmund for the transfer of striker Erling Haaland to the club on July 1, 2022.
“The transfer remains subject to the club finalising terms with the player.”
The deal will end City’s long search for a specialist centre forward, having failed in a high-profile attempt to prise Harry Kane away from Tottenham after Sergio Aguero left the club last summer.
Speculation linking City with Haaland had been gathering momentum, with M.E.N Sport reporting on Monday that the player had already undergone a medical.
Manager Pep Guardiola was reluctant to discuss the matter when he held a press conference earlier yesterday ahead of tonight’s Premier League game at Wolves, but he did all-but confirm a deal was imminent by saying ‘everybody knows the situation.’
“I’m not allowed to say anything until the deal is completely done,” he added.
Confirmation came around two hours later.
The deal represents unbelievable value for a player who could otherwise command a fee in the £150m-£200m bracket.
It is understood the transfer fee will be paid in instalments. City also feel the deal vindicates their decision not to pay more than they were willing for Kane, who was reportedly valued at £150m by Spurs, last year.
The deal for Haaland was also confirmed by Dortmund, who will make good profit on a player they purchased for around £17m.
A statement from the Bundesliga club read: “The player Erling Haaland is close to moving from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester City Football Club.
“This is today’s mutual agreement in principle of all parties. The contractual details now have to be coordinated and completed.”
Haaland’s first appearances for City could now come as they play pre-season friendlies against Club America and Bayern Munich in the United States in July.
His arrival will come with plenty of hype but Guardiola, whose side are close to securing a fourth title in five years having lacked an out-and-out striker this season, was keen to play down the significance of any one new signing.
He said: “New players always help us try to be a stronger team, but a good defender will not solve our defensive problems and one striker will not resolve the scoring problems that maybe we have.
“We have always been consistent, scoring a lot of goals and conceding few.
“The stats are there, we are stable in those terms but the club always has to have a vision for the future.
“That’s why with the decisions the club takes, I’m always completely aware and supportive 100 per cent.”