Erling Haaland shares his first public thoughts on the Man City 115 charges case
After scoring a penalty in Norway’s 3-1 win over Wales in the UEFA Nations League, Erling Haaland spoke publicly for the first time about Manchester City’s 115-charge case.
Back in September, the football world was shaken when an independent commission found City guilty of 114 charges. The 40-page report showed that from 2009 to 2018 — a time when City won three Premier League titles — the club boosted its revenue by about £900 million through fake contracts and deals to make their income look bigger and costs smaller.
City has always denied these claims, saying they have solid proof that the Abu Dhabi government owns the sponsors, not the club’s owners, Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG), who they say simply added more funds.
The club appealed the guilty verdict in early October. If they lose the appeal, they could face penalties like losing points, being kicked out of the Premier League, having titles taken away, or paying fines — possibly as soon as next year.
Despite all this, City has been allowed to keep playing without punishment during the case, and Haaland has kept scoring goals. The Norwegian striker has netted 14 goals in as many matches for City across all competitions. After scoring for Norway, he finally answered questions about the lawsuit.
“It didn’t start until 2009-2018, so… 2009, I think I played for Bryne FK in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. Should we keep going?” Haaland joked to TV 2 Sport when asked about the situation at Etihad Stadium.
He then listed the clubs he played for before joining Red Bull Salzburg from Molde in 2019, adding, “This is a question I find hard to answer. It’s a legal fight between the Premier League and Manchester City, which will be decided by a panel. Should I answer this? I’m not sure. We had a lot of Norwegians at the club then. But it’s a tricky topic because I don’t really know much.”
The 26-year-old continued, “I don’t know when we’ll get an answer; I haven’t followed it much, honestly. I’m focused on playing for Manchester City, where I signed a five-year deal in 2022, and a nine-and-a-half-year contract at the end of 2024. I’m a City player, and I’m very happy about that.”
Haaland’s future at City has been a hot topic lately. It was revealed that his huge nine-and-a-half-year contract — reportedly worth £260 million — doesn’t include a relegation release clause. That means if City are kicked out of the Premier League, the club would likely try to sell him along with some other top stars.
When asked what he thinks about City’s future, Haaland said, “As I said, I signed a long contract in 2024. Honestly, going to City in 2022 was a good choice. Looking at the trophies I’ve won and how I’ve grown on and off the pitch, I’m standing here just before a match after a 3-1 loss in the Premier League. But we have to try to bounce back on Saturday against Fulham and start focusing on Denmark.”
City’s situation has caught the attention of some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Barcelona, who are very interested in signing Haaland if the guilty verdict stands.