in

Haaland and Co arrive in Manchester for City clash as Pep says even the blind can see Dortmund transfer target’s quality


PEP GUARDIOLA says even a blind man would be able to see the quality of Borussia Dortmund forward Erling Haaland.

The Manchester City boss distanced himself from reports linking the club with the Norwegian last week.

Borussia Dortmund forward Erling Haaland arrived in Manchester with City colours on his back – in the form of his £2,000 LV Sky Blue rucksackCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
Haaland has been linked with a £100m plus move to CityCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
England’s teenage sensation Jude Bellingham looked smart as he arrived back homeCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke

But he will get a close-up look at the 20-year-old hotshot – who arrived in Manchester wearing a Sky Blue Louis Vuitton backpack worth £2,000 – when the two teams go head-to-head at the Etihad on Tuesday night.

Haaland has already scored ten goals in the competition this season and is rated in the £150million bracket by his German club.

Guardiola insists City will not be paying that kind of money for anyone this summer – but knows all about his ability.

And he knows his team will have to be at their best to keep him out during the two legs of the Champions League quarter-final. 

He said: “A player who can score this amount of goals at this age has not been easy to find in the past, honestly.

“He’s 20, the numbers speak for themselves. When that happens it’s because he can score right, left, counter-attacks, penalty box, headers.

“He’s a fantastic striker, everyone knows it. A blind guy can realise he’s a great striker, you don’t have to be a manager to realise it.

“The only thing I can say is that he is an exceptional striker. With his age, he is an exceptional striker.”

FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERE

Autograph hunters pleaded with securityCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
The Dortmund bus rolled into town as the Bundesliga boys checked in at The Lowry HotelCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke

City are proud of the fact that for all the money they have spent, their record signing is still Ruben Dias at £64m.

So suggestions they are about to pay way north of £100m on a player like Haaland seem unlikely.

Asked about the fees being talked of, Guardiola said: “I don’t know, it’s a question for Dortmund, his agent, so I don’t know

“So far the club has decided not to spend close to £100m for a player, or more than £100m on a player.

“Maybe in the future it is going to happen if they decide it is necessary to improve the team for the next five, ten years, for many reasons.

“But so far the club, the organisation, the CEO, the sporting director decided not to do it and that’s why they didn’t do it.

“But maybe in the future – I don’t know.”

Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

Erling Haaland’s dad and agent land in Barcelona and whisked off to transfer meeting with president Joan Laporta


Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk


Tagcloud:

Best wonderkids in football, from ‘Next Neymar’ and Man Utd target Gabriel Veron to England hope Jude Bellingham

Footballers who have taken the Tube, from ex-Arsenal star Mesut Ozil to the German national team and Tottenham’s Dier