Erling Haaland’s family have a future transfer “plan”, but Paul Dickov is backing the prolific striker to spend a “long time” at Manchester City.
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Norwegian striker signed in 2022Won Treble & two Golden BootsOthers also facing future questionsGettyWHAT HAPPENED?
The Norway international made his way to the Etihad Stadium in 2022, following in the footsteps of father Alf-Inge – who represented City between 2000 and 2003. Haaland helped City to a historic treble in his debut campaign, has won back-to-back Premier League Golden Boots and is in contention for successive PFA Player of the Year awards.
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Haaland is tied to a contract at City through to 2027, but talk of interest from the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona is never far away. Asked if he expects the free-scoring 24-year-old to remain at City long-term, Blues hero Dickov – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “I do. Honestly, I genuinely do. I know the family quite well, from playing with Alfie for a couple of seasons. Erling loves it at the club. He loves his team-mates, he loves the fans, loves everything about it. He loves living here as well, which is a big thing. He’s really comfortable here. People were saying he had a bad season last year and he still ended up scoring 30 goals, so I hope he has another bad season again this year if that’s going to be the case! I don’t think Erling will be going anywhere for a while. I know the family have a plan for him. What that is, I don’t know. What I can say, knowing him as I do, is that he wants to be here, and be here for a long time.”
GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Another player seeing questions asked of his future at City is Kevin De Bruyne, with the Belgian midfielder reportedly attracting interest from the Saudi Pro League. With 16 trophies and 383 appearances to his name, the 33-year-old has earned the right to dictate what happens next.
Dickov said on that subject: “He has. The biggest thing that people have been saying for years is, how do you replace Kevin De Bruyne? He’s been such a wonderful player. I remember going back to when Vinny [Vincent Kompany] retired, Fernandinho, even Sergio Aguero, Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling, people were saying how are we going to replace them? The club always managed to do that. If this is his last season, then we have to say thank you and wish him well. He’s super happy here, his family is super happy as well. He loves the club, loves playing at Man City, so hopefully we can see him go a little bit longer.”
DID YOU KNOW?
De Bruyne and Haaland are staying put for now, as is Jack Grealish. The England international did, however, miss out on a place in the Three Lions’ Euro 2024 squad and faces competition for places at City from exciting talents such as Jeremy Doku, Oscar Bobb and Savinho. Quizzed on whether a tough season could lie in store for Grealish, Dickov said: “I think it’s a tough one for all of them. There is so much competition in the wide areas. Last season we saw that Bernardo Silva can play out there if Phil Foden is central, or Phil can play out wide. The competition is huge and the amount of quality we have got there.
"Jack last season, he openly admitted that it was a disappointing season – it was stop-start, he was ill at the start of the season, then he picked up quite a few injuries and struggled to get the form back. But the season before, from the World Cup through to the end of the Treble win, Jack was our most influential player. He played in all the big games, the Champions League, and I think the disappointment of him missing out in the summer as well will motivate him. I looked at him in pre-season and he looked a threat, he looked really strong and sharp and he looks as though he is back in his zone again.
"It’s a big season for Jack, as it is everybody else, but I have no doubt about the quality that he has got, and he has a big influence in the team as well. I think we will see the best of him. He picked up a little niggle last week for the Community Shield, but he had a really strong pre-season. But competition for places is what it’s all about at Manchester City. It won’t just be Jack that is facing that. The quality that he has got and knowing the kid as well as I do, I’m expecting a big season from him because I know he has got the bit between his teeth after the disappointment of last season and this summer. He really wants to go out there and show everybody how good he is."