Alf-Inge Haaland has provided a special insight into his Manchester City days to his son Erling Haaland, who will officially join the Premier League champions from Borussia Dortmund on 1st July.
Unlike most players who have signed for Manchester City since the Abu Dhabi takeover in 2008, Erling Haaland has the distinct advantage of having being born to a father who plied his trade for the Etihad outfit in the past.
Alf-Inge Haaland, renowned for being a tough-tackling midfielder, donned the City shirt between 2000-03 and was a major fan favourite in the blue side of Manchester during this time at the club.
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Haaland grew up as a Manchester City fan and pictures of the Leeds-born forward in sky blue from his childhood have been widely circulated on social media since 2020.
The 21-year-old revealed in his first interview as a Manchester City player he was often in attendance at Maine Road when his father represented the six-time Premier League champions, who have secured his arrival for a reported transfer fee of £51 million ahead of the new campaign.
A report in March, when Manchester City and Real Madrid were understood to be the main contenders for the young forward's signature, suggested Alf-Inge Haaland advised his son to move to the Etihad Stadium despite heavy interest from the Spanish champions.
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In a special feature uploaded on Manchester City’s official YouTube channel, Alf-Inge Haaland walked his son through some of the notable moments from his stint in the east side of Manchester and what the club is all about.
“It is a fantastic crowd at Manchester City; it was really, really nice. A lot of emotions," Alf-Inge told Erling Haaland.
"You can be looking forward to scoring your first goal (for the club). It is a nice experience.”
Alf-Inge Haaland further heaped praise on the fantastic support at Maine Road he witnessed during his playing days, as he added: “I played at the old Maine Road - it was a sell-out every game.
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"The Manchester City fans are really passionate about the team. When you play for these fans, it is a little bit special. It was a really, really nice experience.”
The former Manchester City midfielder gave his son a key history lesson on his new side by paying homage to former teammate Paul Dickov, who is still considered one of the most crucial players in the club's history.
Alf-Inge Haaland said: “I dreamt about playing with Paul Dickov (at Manchester City). He was a legendary player from when they (City) got promoted. He is a big part of the club's history, you met him today - he is a good fella.”
Topics: Manchester City, Premier League, Erling Haaland, Borussia Dortmund
Srinivas Sadhanand