Haaland promises City fans: I can deliver first Champions League title 

Man City's new striker Erling Haaland has told fans that he joined the Cityzens for long-term success and promised that he will be looking to improve his game under Pep Guardiola.

The 21-year-old, who signed from Borussia Dortmund for £51 million, was officially unveiled as a City player at the Etihad yesterday having put pen to paper on a five-year deal.

The Norwegian said it was his gut instinct to join the Premier League champions despite interest from Real Madrid and while there are some in Spain who believes the forward will be playing in La Liga in a couple of years’ time, the Norway international declared he fully intends to be at the Etihad for the duration of his deal.

Having played for four clubs in the last five years Haaland was asked if he is now ready to stay put at one club. “I signed a five-year deal, we start there,” he laughed.

Haaland scored 86 times in 89 games for Dortmund and his impressive goal tally has seen him hailed as one of the most exciting forward talents in world football. It is why there was such a clamour from clubs across Europe for his signature.

But the 21-year-old, who was accompanied at Sunday’s press conference by his father Alf-Inge Haaland and his lawyer Rafaela Pimenta, believes there is much more to come from him.

“Everything,” he replied when asked where he could get better. “Headers, shooting, left foot, right foot, movement, with the ball, off the ball.”

Haaland’s confidence exudes his 21 years and Pep Guardiola will hope that will translate to his performances on the pitch. He certainly knows what he wants and has the belief that he could be the missing piece of the jigsaw to land City their first Champions League title.

 “The Champions League is my favourite competition so you have the answer there,” he said. “City are already Premier League winners and there is so much potential. I am really excited.”

His excitement was mirrored by the thousands of City fans who had gathered in front of the West Stand to get a glimpse of their latest recruits. Seven weeks to the day that they had been at the ground watching Guardiola’s side lift their fourth league title in five years they were back to see the men arriving that hope to take City to the next level.

The only disappointment for them was that Kalvin Phillips, the £42 million signing from Leeds United, was absent due to illness. The midfielder said he was “really gutted” to have missed the event but it didn’t dampen the spirits of the crowd who were soaking up the occasion on a hot summer afternoon.

Stefan Ortega Moreno, the 29-year-old goalkeeper who arrived on a free transfer from Bundesliga side Arminia Bielefeld, was first out and while he admitted he knew his place in the pecking order he vowed to push first-choice goalkeeper Ederson.

The German teased the fact that Haaland had not scored against him in previous games together in the Bundesliga. “Hopefully I’ll keep him grounded, in training it’s easier for him to score against me because he needs the confidence more than me.” he said.

Having been a City fan from a young age Haaland has already been taken in by the Manchester City faithful as one of their own. But the 21-year-old ensured he endeared himself to the crowd by talking of his Sergio Agüero shirt collection and an early dig at rivals Manchester United.

Asked about who he is most looking forward to facing he replied: “I don’t like to say the words but . . . Manchester United.”