Pep Guardiola has backed Erling Halaand to have a successful career in England, starting with today’s Community Shield clash against Liverpool at Wembley Stadium.
The Manchester City manager believes his new €60 million signing from Borussia Dortmund will not take long to adapt to the English game after scoring 85 goals in 88 appearances for the German club.
Haaland, 22, also scored on his unofficial debut for City, netting the only goal in a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich in a friendly last week, and Guardiola is confident the striker is primed for action today.
“He’s ready to play against Liverpool. The first impression is really good, funny guy,” Guardiola said of the Norway striker.
“He’s settled really well. That’s important. Apparently people think it’s not one of the most important things but it is.
“Good vibes in the locker room is more important than any advice or any other thing you say. We try to settle good with family, house, try to get to know each other in training. We see what we want to do, what we did. The quality will do the rest.”
Along with Haaland, City brought in another attacker this summer in 22-year-old Julian Alvarez from Argentine club River Plate.
“They both have ability to drop off and play football,” Guardiola said of Haaland and Alvarez.
“I don’t like strikers waiting in the box to score, even for them it’s boring. If you ask them, they want to touch the ball, to play and that is what we have to do.
“And after they have the special sense, smell, quality to score a goal – they will do the rest. I can’t teach them to score goals, they know what they have to do.”
“I think Julian was an extraordinary signing. He will be at Manchester City for many years. Football is universal. Whoever is a scorer in Argentina, is as well in England. Whoever is a crook, is a crook in Argentina and England.”
While bringing in Haaland and Alvarez, City parted ways with Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko (both to Arsenal) and Raheem Sterling (to Chelsea).
Guardiola praised all three, suggesting that he would have kept them if he could.
“Sometimes [it is good to change the squad], but if the three players, and important academy players we sold, if they stayed we’d be incredibly happy,” he noted.
“We know each other, continue to do what we’ve done. The market dictates decisions, the wishes for club or players.
“Sometimes the player wants something. For both sides, other side, when this happens we make a replacement and they’re here. Normally a project for six, seven years, you’re not seven years with the same people. When I arrived just Kevin [De Bruyne] is still here.
“What is important is the stability of the club. The guys who have left, not just Aleks [Zinchenko], Raheem [Sterling], Gabriel [Jesus], all the players have made incredible contribution to get us to finals.”
On the season-opening Community Shield against FA Cup holders, Guardiola said he would be thrilled to face Liverpool.
The Spaniard, who has won four Premier League titles in six seasons with City, however refused to predict how the campaign will pan out.
“We try for the first title, it’s an honour to be here, it’s a big success to be there,” he added.
“We know the opponent quite well, it will dictate how well our moment is after three weeks of pre-season, it’s too short.”
On the new season, he said: “If I was able to predict the future, I’d let you know. Normally in the Premier League there are many teams. Always I repeat the same, I expect a lot of clubs involved, the quality they all have in managers, players, history. I don’t know.”
