Following Norway's 3-1 UEFA Nations League victory against Wales, Erling Haaland was asked about the charges Manchester City is facing for allegedly breaking Premier League financial fair play rules. The question from a TV2 reporter was unfair, of course. What could a player truly say about the situation?
This is especially true for Haaland, who wasn't involved with City during the time the club was charged with wrongdoing. That period was from 2009 to 2018. Haaland joined City in 2022. Where was he before that? He had the answer.
The Norwegian told the reporter, "The situation (with the charges)? What years were this?... The investigation covered from 2009 to 2018. In 2009, I played for Bryne U9s. In 2010, the U10s; in 2011, the U11s; 2012, the U12s; 2013, the U13s. Shall we continue? We don’t need the whole list. 2014, the U14s; 2015, the U15s and the national team, then the U16s, I think. In 2016, I moved up to Bryne’s first team, second team, and youth team. In 2017, I went to Molde. In 2018, I was with Molde: the first team, Molde 2, and a bit with the youth team."
Erling Haaland gives the best response about Manchester City facing potential sanctions
Haaland didn't stop there, though. He confirmed how happy he has been playing for Manchester City, including achieving personal greatness and club excellence, and that he had no plans to leave. He is signed through 2034, and the only way he leaves is if he is transferred.
That might happen if Man City's appeal is denied and the charges of guilt against the club hold up. Sanctions will also likely be appealed once they are announced. The timeframe for that to occur seems fluid, even though Premier League rules state the decision needs to be made by early 2027.
Only if the charges and sanctions are upheld (and the sanctions are so dire that Manchester City needs to make fundamental long-term changes to the organization) will the need to decide on Erling Haaland arise. If City is relegated with little chance of returning to the Premier League quickly, high-end players might need to be loaned to help recoup expenses.
Haaland says he isn't thinking about that potential future. His focus is on helping Norway win its next Nations League match, and then helping City rediscover its early-season form in league play. After winning its first seven matches, the club has lost its last three.
The next match after the international break is against Fulham on Saturday, November 21. Erling Haaland specifically named that match as what he is thinking about, not the charges the club faces. He is prepared to keep helping the Blues win.
As far as what he was doing during the period of time Cty is accused of breaking rules, Haaland knows exactly where he was, and he wasn't in the starting XI with Manchester City. He was still becoming the elite player he is now.
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