Man City confirm Erling Haaland as new number nine

Forum 1 year ago

Man City confirm Erling Haaland as new number nine

Manchester City have confirmed that big money summer signing Erling Haaland will wear the number nine shirt recently vacated by Gabriel Jesus.

City announced a deal for Haaland as far back as May, but fans had been left guessing which shirt the Norwegian would be wearing for the best part of two months.

Jesus has only completed his £45m switch to Arsenal in recent days, freeing up the number nine jersey the Brazil international had worn since 2019.

In the years prior to Jesus, a four-time Premier League champion, City’s number nine shirt hadn’t had a glittering list of former occupants, with Nolito, Alvaro Negredo, Emmanuel Adebayor, Valeri Bojinov, Emile Mpenza, Paolo Wanchope and an ageing Andy Cole among its wearers this century.

Haaland wore number nine for two seasons with former club Borussia Dortmund, trading down from 17. He had previously been number 30 at both Red Bull Salzburg and Molde.

City fans have huge expectations of Haaland next season and beyond. The 21-year-old grew up following the club as a result of his father’s time there as a player and arrives with a stunning goal record that has seen him score 135 goals in 137 games for club and country since summer 2019.

On top of Haaland, City have also completed the signing of Kalvin Phillips from Leeds. The England international had already been assigned the number four shirt last worn by Vincent Kompany.