Erling Haaland Admits Love For Etihad Stadium And Admiration For Phil Foden

Erling Haaland has revealed his admiration for the Etihad Stadium upon his arrival to Manchester City and spoke about the prospect of playing alongside Phil Foden next season.

The 21-year-old joins the six-time Premier League champions in a reported £51 million move from Borussia Dortmund as one of the deadliest forwards in world football.

Since swapping Red Bull Salzburg for Borussia Dortmund in January 2020, the Norway international scored 86 times and provided a further 23 assists in 89 appearances across all competitions for the Bundesliga outfit.

Having showcased his talent on the biggest stages in recent years, Erling Haaland faced off against his new employers when Dortmund met Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-final two seasons ago.

The Leeds-born forward, whose father Alf-Inge represented the Blues between 2000-03, was spotted by cameras admiring the Etihad Stadium as he walked through the tunnel out on the pitch ahead of the opening leg in Manchester.

Speaking in his first official interview in Manchester City colours, Haaland said: "First of all, I have been (to the Etihad Stadium) a couple of times before, watching games. I like it, it is beautiful, I like the colour. I played there, a big huge stadium, and I'm looking forward to playing there."

Whilst Manchester City have secured the signing of one of the most exciting names in Europe ahead of the new campaign, the Etihad club have seen Phil Foden rise through the club's academy ranks and establish himself as a first-team regular under Pep Guardiola.

A boyhood Manchester City fan himself, Haaland was further asked about the talent possessed by Phil Foden, who can strike a devastating young partnership with the forward, who forged a great understanding on the pitch with the likes of Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham in Germany,

"As I say, I have been watching a lot of City games over the last, as long as I can remember," Haaland said.

"So, of course I have also watched Phil (Foden) - he is an amazing player, still talented because he is still young.

"He (Foden) is an amazing player, he still has to develop and then we can really talk."

Haaland could prove to be a crucial addition in attack for Manchester City and Pep Guardiola, who steered his side to back-to-back league titles in the absence of a natural striker in his ranks for the most part.