Erling Haaland transfer latest: Manchester City update as striker 'lays groundwork for exit', Pep Guardiola defends star

Erling Haaland is preparing to permission Manchester City successful the summer, with the Norwegian expressing dissatisfaction down the scenes, according to reports.

Manchester City's nightmare seasons shows nary signs of slowing down pursuing their 2-1 decision astatine the hands of Aston Villa connected Saturday afternoon.

The nonaccomplishment near the Citizens successful seventh spot with 27 points, 12 less than first-placed Liverpool, who person played a crippled less than the champions.

Guardiola's broadside are besides astatine hazard of elimination from the Champions League fixed they are 22nd successful the array with 8 points and inhabit the third-last circular of 16 playoff spot.

To adhd to this, Football Insider present assertion that Haaland is laying the groundwork to permission the club, with the 24-year-old reportedly moaning successful the dressing country astatine his team's signifier this campaign.

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Can Man City spend to suffer Haaland?

The Norwegian has scored 13 times successful the Premier League this play and has netted his side's opening extremity connected 8 occasions, with defender Josko Gvardiol City's adjacent highest scorer having recovered the backmost of the nett 4 times.

Haaland broke the grounds for astir goals successful a azygous Premier League play successful 2022-23 erstwhile helium scored 36 times, surpassing Andy Cole and Alan Shearer, who netted 34 each successful 1993-94 and 1994-95 respectively.

The striker has averaged precisely 1 extremity per 90 successful the apical flight, arsenic good arsenic 1.18 assists per 90, and lone needs to people 24 much times successful the league to scope a period of goals successful the England's premier division.

In his archetypal 5 league matches of 2024-25, Haaland recovered the backmost of the nett connected 10 occasions, scoring hat-tricks against Ipswich Town and West Ham United.

However, helium lone scored 3 goals successful his consequent 12 Premier League fixtures, blanking 9 times and producing conscionable 1 assistance successful that period.

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Should Haaland look astatine himself?

One of the criticisms of Haaland since joining City has been his comparatively constricted interaction connected games erstwhile helium does not score.

The 24-year-old has averaged nether 20 touches of the shot per 90 successful the league this term, whereas Liverpool striker Diogo Jota has averaged conscionable nether 35 touches per 90.

While it is hard to expect Haaland to go much progressive successful build-up play considering helium has proven however deadly helium tin beryllium connected the past enactment of an opposition's defence, helium has stood retired for each the incorrect reasons successful caller weeks.

Guardiola has defended his striker this season, telling Spanish media: "Erling is truthful important for us, volition beryllium important for america and we request to usage him better."

Given the striker's way grounds astatine City, it would not beryllium astonishing if Haaland was to get backmost connected the scoresheet much regularly, but fans volition anticipation that Guardiola tin person him to enactment contempt the team's wide struggles.

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