Divine nine for Haaland
ERLING HAALAND has vowed to continue his crazy goal-scoring spree after being officially confirmed as Manchester City’s new No.9.
Haaland, 22 later this month, will wear the same shirt number he wore at Borussia Dortmund after Gabriel Jesus left the nine vacant with his £45million move to Arsenal.
And Haaland, who cost a bargain £51m transfer fee after City met his buy-out clause at Dortmund, has promised to continue banging in the goals after scoring 86 times in 89 games in two-anda-half seasons in the Bundesliga.
Haaland, who has also scored 20 goals in 21 games for Norway, said: “I’m delighted to have been presented with the No.9.
“It’s been part of my story over the last two years, both at club level and with the national team and I’m looking forward to continuing that at City.
“It’s a shirt that every striker aspires to and to wear it at one of the best clubs in the world is a dream come true. I can’t wait to get started.”
Haaland flew into Manchester yesterday after a break in Marbella and will have his fitness assessed by City’s conditioning team before joining the rest of Pep Guardiola’s squad as they prepare for the club’s tour to the USA later this month.
City will play Mexican side Club America in Houston on July 20 before facing Bayern Munich in Green Bay, Wisconsin three days later.
Haaland will be unveiled with the rest of City’s summer signings – Argentina striker Julian Alvarez, Leeds and England midfielder Kalvin Phillips and German keeper Stefan Ortega – in a glitzy ceremony at the Etihad today.
He added: “It’ll be great to come together with the other lads for the first time at the stadium and get the chance to be introduced to our supporters.”