Tosin Olasunkanmi
Manchester City signing Erling Haaland acknowledges that he will have to step up his game at the Premier League champions, who gave the forward a torrid evening the last time they met.
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Haaland arrives at the Etihad Stadium as one of the world’s elite goalscorers after two and a half incredible seasons with Dortmund.
But he is aware that record will count for little unless he can shine alongside his illustrious new team-mates.
What did Haaland say about step up in quality?
“It is a big challenge, it is a new country, a new league, new coach, new everything so it is a big challenge but I know how it is to come to a new club, I have done it a couple of times before. I am really looking forward to it,” the Norwegian told reporters at Sunday’s press conference.
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“I played against them in the Champions League last year and you see something on TV and then when you meet it is completely different.
“I didn’t touch the ball for 25 minutes and it is like, [Ilkay] Gundogan, please stop playing tiki-taka!
“It is a different level how they play and that is what I want to be a part of.
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“What am I looking to improve? Everything, headers, shooting, left foot, right foot, movement, with the ball, off the ball.”
The story so far for Haaland
While still just 21, Haaland has become a superstar thanks to his prodigious ability in front of the net.
He made his senior debut for second-tier Norwegian side Bryne aged just 15 and swiftly earned a move to Molde, from where he was snapped up by Red Bull Salzburg in January 2019, still six months short of his 19th birthday.
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The goals kept coming in Austria too, and after less than a year at Red Bull and 29 strikes in 27 games, Dortmund won the race for his signature, taking him to the Bundesliga in 2020.
That step up in quality did not slow Haaland’s amazing strike-rate, netting 86 in 89 outings during his time with BVB; and City will hope he can adapt just as seamlessly to his new surroundings after spending £51 million ($63m) to bring him to the Premer League.
