Manchester City appears unfazed by rumors suggesting that Erling Haaland is considering a departure from the club, amid reported interest from Real Madrid. According to Football Insider, the club is not concerned about Haaland’s alleged desire to seek recognition elsewhere as the best player.
Haaland is said to be discontented at the Etihad Stadium following his failure to secure the 2023 Ballon d’Or and FIFA Best Men’s Player of the Year awards. The Norwegian striker reportedly believes that a move to a club like Real Madrid is necessary to attain the recognition he feels he deserves.
Responding to these reports, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola dismissed suggestions of Haaland’s unhappiness, sarcastically suggesting that the media in Madrid may possess more information on the matter. Guardiola stated (via The Guardian):
“I don’t know, you have to ask the media from Madrid. Maybe they have more info than we have. We don’t have that feeling that he’s unhappy. He was [unhappy]. He could not play for two months because he was injured but maybe the media from Spain, and especially Madrid, have more information than us.”
Despite his reported discontent, Haaland enjoyed a prolific 2022-23 season with Manchester City, scoring 52 goals and providing nine assists in 53 appearances. His contributions were instrumental in the club’s success, helping them secure the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, and FA Cup titles.
Additionally, Haaland claimed the Golden Boot in both Europe and the Premier League, setting a new goal scoring record in the latter competition. However, despite these achievements, he finished as the runner-up to Lionel Messi in both prestigious individual awards.
