Manchester United midfielder Kelvin Erling De Bruyne had admitted that Erling Haaland is the striker Manchester City has been waiting for and needed.
Kelvin De Bruyne had one of his best goal-scoring seasons with Manchester city scoring 19 goals in 45 appearances including 15 goals in the Premier League. Manchester City announced the signing of Erling Haaland earlier this month after paying his 75 million buyout clause at Dortmund.
Erling Haaland has been one of the deadly strikers in Europe since joining Borussia Dortmund from Salzburg. Haaland has scored 86 goals in 89 appearances for Borussia Dortmund since his arrival two years ago including 29 goals in 30 appearances this season after spending most of the season injured.
Manchester City had been missing a natural striker since Sergio Kun Aguero left the club last season. Pep Guardiola’s side spent the season without a striker despite winning the Premier League twice in a row.
The arrival of Erling Haaland seems to be the icing on the cake as Pep Guardiola earlier this year has retracted the need for Manchester City to sign a striker.
Ahead of the Manchester derby, he said: “I think the club needs a striker.
“We tried, but sometimes it’s not possible. We are not going to buy one for a number if they’re not going to give us something special.
“I am a guy who is comfortable when we have 14, 15, 16 players and after five or six in the academy.
“We need a striker and I think the club is going to try. If it happens, it happens, but if it doesn’t, we’ll wait.”
Kelvin De Bruyne seems to share the same sentiment with his Boss and claims Erling Haaland is what Manchester City is looking for.
What did Kelvin De Bruyne say?
Speaking with Het Laatste Nieuws,The Premier League player of the season said: “Erling Haaland is a top striker.
“His move should help us to grow as a team. Everybody expects a lot. We’ve always been looking for a number nine.
“I think it’ll be good to have that striker that maybe scores [between] 20 [and] 25 goals [per] season.
Kelvin De Bruyne lost the Premier playmaker award to Mohamed Salah with the Belgian midfielder wrecking in only eight assists in the Premier League this season. Kelvin De Bruyne believes the arrival of Haaland will help soar up his assists next season in the Premier League.
Kelvin De Bruyne added: “Maybe his arrival might help me too.
“There have been years that I have more assists [than this season]. But my chance creation and other things have remained consistent. Numbers are a part of football but they never tell you the full story.”
Manchester City had to beat the likes of Real Madrid, Chelsea, and Manchester United to sign Haaland.
The Chairman of Manchester City Khaldoon Al Mubarak had earlier this week claimed that the signing of Erling Haaland signifies how strong Manchester City has been on and off the pitch.
In an interview with the Club’s official website, He said: “He is a very, very unique, incredibly talented striker that I think the whole world has been looking at. I would say every big team in the world wanted [him] to join and we’re delighted that Haaland chose to join Manchester City.
“I think it’s a testament to all the great work that’s been happening at this club. It’s a testament to the quality of this team and it’s a testament to Haaland not just being a great player but I think a very smart player that saw the potential of what he can do and how he can develop further professionally, being part of this team, being coached by Pep Guardiola and with the infrastructure that we have.”
