Erling Haaland's future is once again the talk of the town. This time, it's not because of his goals or his tremendous offensive power, but because of statements made by his father, Alf-Inge Haaland, that haven't gone unnoticed. While Haaland is playing in the Club World Cup with City, his camp is sending a clear message to Real Madrid.
A more exciting Club World Cup than desired
The United States is hosting a tournament that, at first glance, seemed secondary, but it's proving surprising. The Club World Cup is delivering intense, high-level matches. Teams from all over the world are competing, from the European champion to representatives from Asia, Africa, and Oceania.
One of the favorites is Manchester City, which arrives with a strengthened squad and a desire to redeem itself after an inconsistent season. Despite that, it still has Erling Haaland as its main offensive reference.
The Norwegian in the spotlight
Although he wasn't in the starting line-up in the debut against Wydad Casablanca (2-0), Haaland played half an hour in the second half. He came on for Rayan Cherki, one of City's new faces, along with Reijnders and AĆÆt-Nouri. Guardiola's team has spent over ā¬140 million (over $151 million) on reinforcements, showing it's going all in.
But all eyes are still on the Norwegian "9". The Real Madrid rumor is always present, especially as important tournaments approach. However, for now, it seems there aren't any real moves.
The father's voice
In statements from the United States, Alf-Inge Haaland wanted to clarify how his son is doing. "Erling is happy. Very happy, he's focused on the Club World Cup," he said in a conversation with Marca.
Not only that, he also highlighted that City and Real Madrid are the big favorites in the tournament. "I think they are among the favorites, we're seeing very good matches," he stated.
But the most interesting part came afterward. The striker's father made it clear that, although his son was linked to Madrid for several summers, for now there's no intention to leave. "My son is very happy at Manchester City," he repeated emphatically.
A definitive end?
Alf-Inge's words don't completely close the door to Real Madrid, but they do cool things down. Especially now that Haaland has removed the clauses from his contract that made it easier for him to leave. After his latest renewal, the Norwegian is tied to City until 2034.
For now, Florentino PƩrez seems to remain focused on Kylian MbappƩ, although the Frenchman won't be able to play against Pachuca due to stomach problems. Meanwhile, Haaland keeps racking up goals and minutes... wearing Manchester City's jersey.