Pep Guardiola has hailed Erling Haaland's signing of a new long-term contract with Manchester City as “exceptional news for the club”, and is backing the striker to break more Premier League records.
City's number nine, whose existing contract runs until 2027, put pen to paper on new terms that will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2034.
Haaland has scored an impressive 111 goals in just 126 appearances in all competitions since joining from Borussia Dortmund in June 2022, while helping them win two Premier League titles, the Champions League and the FA Cup.
The Norway international has already broken several records during his time with the Citizens.
Among other things, they scored the highest number of goals in a single Premier League season (36 in 2022-2023), while in November 2023 (48 games) they became the fastest player to score 50 goals in the division.
And Guardiola is delighted to see the 24-year-old commit his long-term future to City.
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“He wants to show how much he wants to be here, otherwise all the players will sign a contract for one or two years,” said the head coach. “A lot of things can happen in ten years' time, but it is a testament to the trust between him and the club.
“He loves the club and the people around him. He loves the Premier League and life here with his family. He must feel that there is no better place for him in the next ten years.”
“You never know what can happen in the coming years, but the club knows every day how professional he is in showing his talent. That was what he wanted and that is thanks to the club's trust.”
“If he keeps up the numbers since he got here, then yes [he can break more records]. It will depend on the team and him, but it is exceptional news for the club.”
Haaland's tally of 111 goals since joining City is the most of any player in Europe's top five leagues, with Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe his closest challenger on 101.
However, Guardiola still thinks his number nine can still improve.
On Haaland's motivations, the Spaniard added: “Maybe winning the next game and the motivation to score goals. I don't feel like he's going to say, 'I'm going to take a nap' now that he has this contract. He is a huge competitor.
“Of course he can improve. We all can. The club and the team have to create an environment and moments where he is unstoppable. That's when he is at his best.”
“It's mainly about understanding the game, during the game and what decisions he has to make. He is still young and with the maturity of playing games and games, it will happen naturally.”
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