Soccer
Pep Guardiola lauded Erling Haaland’s signing of a new long-term contract with Manchester City as “exceptional news for the club”, and is backing the striker to break more Premier League records.
City’s number nine, whose existing contract ran until 2027, put pen to paper on fresh terms that will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2034.
Haaland has scored a whopping 111 goals in just 126 appearances across all competitions since joining the club from Borussia Dortmund in June 2022, while helping them win two Premier League titles, the Champions League and FA Cup.
The Norway international has already broken several records during his time with the Citizens.
They include scoring the highest number of goals during a single Premier League season (36 in 2022-23), while becoming the fastest player to reach 50 goals in the division in November 2023 (48 matches).
And Guardiola is delighted to see the 24-year-old commit his long-term future to City.
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— Manchester City (@ManCity) January 17, 2025
“He wants to show how much he wants to be here, otherwise all the players sign one or two-year contracts,” the head coach said. “In 10 years, many things can happen, but it’s proof of trust between him and the club.
“He loves the club and the people he is around. He loves the Premier League and living here with his family. He must feel there is no better place for him to be in the next 10 years.
“You never know what may happen in the next years, but the club know how professional he is every day to show his talent. It was what he wanted and that is down to the trust of the club.
“If he continues with the numbers since he arrived, then yes [he can break more records]. It will depend on the team and him, but it is exceptional news for the club.”
Haaland’s tally of 111 goals since joining City is the most by any player across Europe’s top five leagues, with Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe his closest challenger on 101.
Nevertheless, Guardiola still thinks his number nine can get even better.
On Haaland’s motivations, the Spaniard added: “Maybe, winning the next game and motivation to score goals. I don’t have a feeling that he is going to say: ‘I’ll take a nap’ now that he has this contract. He is a huge competitor.
“Of course, he can improve. We all can. The club and the team have to create an environment and moments when he can be unstoppable. That is when he is at his best.
“More than anything, it is about understanding the game, during the game and what decisions he has to make. He is still young and with the maturity of playing games and games, it will happen naturally.”
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