Man City chief rejects Erling Haaland theory as Man Utd claim made about £51m striker

Manchester City chief Ferran Soriano has insisted Erling Haaland picked the Premier League champions for football not money. The Norway international, 21, jetted in to Manchester to complete formalities on a transfer that will set the club back £150million over five years.

And despite Haaland taking home approaching £400,000 a week over the length of the deal Soriano believes the striker chose City over Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Manchester United on account of their football project. He says the Norwegian could’ve earned the same kind of cash at any other club.

“We are evolving to a time when the big players can choose, and Haaland has chosen us,” Soriano told Catalan Radio Station RAC1. “You have seen the transfer figures, and they are very reasonable. The salary we are paying him is what we can afford and what he is entitled to with media and commercial work. He has had all the peace of mind and the time to choose where to play.

“We have been close to him, we have explained the project to him. But the money could have been given to him by United, Bayern or Real Madrid. He has decided where he wants to go and we are happy. Our focus is on football, on playing well and winning, rather than on star players. And we lacked a centre forward.”

Haaland, who signed from Borussia Dortmund earlier this month, had a medical in Barcelona with Pep Guardiola’s favoured medic Dr Ramon Cugat before jetting to Manchester on Tuesday.

The striker, who has had fitness problems this season missing eight of Dortmund’s final 20 matches, was set for meetings with senior City executives on Tuesday night. And he will start to earn his mega-money deal with some photoshoots and interviews at City’s HQ on Wednesday.

City boss Pep Guardiola said of Haaland: “I hear that he’s not going to adapt to the way we play. I would like to ask how is the way we play? I’m pretty sure they don’t know it. I’m pretty sure they adapt well.

“Julian [Alvarez] is coming, we’re going to help him to adapt well. I think the players when they are good and normally it happens in these type of clubs – they have good vibes and energy to stay positive to understand and to help. Our way to play is so simple.

“I’m pretty sure [Haaland will adapt]. I have to know him to give a real opinion and work with him. But when he scores his amount of goals it is because he is good and intuitive Arriving in a new country and new house and friends and all these kind of things, you have to adjust.

“That’s why he has to settle here, start, have good holidays, come back here with no injuries and start to work and play. If it takes weeks, great. If it takes a month, great. He hasn’t come here for two or three months, he comes for many many years I hope. If he needs more time, there is more time. We will try to help him and I’m pretty sure he will try to help us. I don’t have any doubts about that.”