Transfer Market: Erling Haaland Shakes Manchester City

The potential departure of Pep Guardiola is set to bring changes at Manchester City, casting uncertainty over Erling Haaland's future.

On Tuesday evening, Pep Guardiola was expected to address the English press. In addition to losing the Premier League title after a draw against Bournemouth, the media was particularly eager to learn more about the Catalan coach's future. Earlier in the week, several British publications reported that the manager would leave Manchester City after a decade at the helm. Journalists were therefore waiting for his response, which was not as revealing as they had hoped.

"I could say that I have one year left on my contract, and based on discussions I've had over many years, from my experience, announcing anything during the competition is always very, very bad. And as you understand, the first person I need to speak to is my president (Khaldoon Al Mubarak), because we both agreed that at the end of the season, we will meet to discuss. It’s as simple as that, and then we will make a decision…" Despite this, the English press continues to insist that he will depart, with Enzo Maresca reportedly set to replace him.

This change will inevitably impact the players. Some may choose to leave following Guardiola's exit. There would be nothing keeping a key player like Rodri, who has a contract extension offer on the table and dreams of joining Real Madrid. The absence of Guardiola will be significant, and this could also affect Erling Haaland. The Norwegian joined the Cityzens after his time at BVB, having communicated with the Spanish coach, whom he respects and admires. He had even extended his contract until 2034 a year and a half ago, largely due to the confidence Guardiola instilled in him.

Although this was not the only reason, it was a major factor. Now, the 25-year-old Cyborg may have to move forward without him. It seems he is not planning to leave Manchester City this summer. His contract is long, and he wants to stay, according to Mundo Deportivo. However, it is uncertain whether he will remain beyond that. MD suggests that it is not unlikely he will consider offers within a year. The striker, who is happy in England with his family, is waiting to see how things develop this season, according to the English press.

Enzo Maresca and the Manchester City management will need to be convincing to keep Haaland. What is clear is that the looming loss of Guardiola is already weighing heavily on City. MD notes that the stars who were once untouchable at Manchester no longer hold that status. In any case, Haaland is already looking ahead to next season, having sent a message after Arsenal's title win. "I feel we could have done even better in the league, but that’s over now, so it’s easy to say. We’ve won two trophies, which is important, but we were also aiming for the league title."

He added: "In the end, every Premier League match is tough. We tried. It wasn’t enough. The whole club must use this as motivation. We need to be angry; we need to have the drive to win because it’s not acceptable. It’s been two years now (since the PL has eluded them), and it feels like an eternity. We will do everything to win the league, all those who are here next season." Unless something surprising occurs, Haaland will be among them, but nothing is certain for the following season.