Ian Wright believes Erling Haaland will be tempted by Manchester City

Paul Macdonald

Updated: 20 May 2021 11:26 BST
3 min read

Ian Wright believes Erling Haaland will be tempted by Manchester City — © ProShots

Ian Wright reckons Erling Haaland will be tempted by a move to Manchester City this summer as the race for his signature starts to take shape.

Article continues under the video

The pundit made the comments on Optus Sports Kelly and Wrighty Show after Pep Guardiola’s men saw off Haaland’s Borussia Dortmund side in the Champions League quarter-finals earlier in the week.

Haaland has been in fabulous form this season, bagging 33 goals and providing 10 assists in 35 appearances for BVB in all competitions.

However, with the Bundesliga giants sitting seven points outside of the top four with just six games of the campaign remaining, talk of an imminent departure has intensified, and Wright believes the 20-year-old will find a switch to the Etihad Stadium an exciting prospect.

“He will have been impressed by the way City dealt with a Dortmund side that started brilliantly,” he said. “De Bruyne has now signed, Foden is there, Sterling is negotiating a new contract, Pep is there for another few years.

“All of those things, there aren’t many negatives about City right now – and he has got to watch them twice. If he’s like me – selfish and greedy – you want to play in that team.”

Could Haaland to City really happen?

The Norway international’s agent Mino Raiola has been seen in discussions with both Barcelona’s and Real Madrid’s presidents in recent weeks as the controversial super-agent attempts to manoeuvre a summer transfer for his client.

Nevertheless, it’s hard to see either of the Spanish giants being able to afford Haaland’s £150 million price tag, given the impact that the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has had on the their finances.

A move to City to play under Guardiola in the Premier League, therefore, is arguably the most likely outcome if Haaland does depart Dortmund in the upcoming window, but with a €75m release clause kicking into the striker’s contract next summer, he could end up staying at the Signal Iduna Park for another 12 months.