Jamie Carragher sends message to Liverpool, Chelsea and Man Utd after Haaland transfer

 

Jamie Carragher has given Manchester City’s Premier League rivals hope of winning the title despite the stunning arrival of Erling Haaland at the Etihad.

Haaland’s £51.2m transfer from Borussia Dortmund was confirmed on Monday, with the Norway striker signing a five-year deal with English champions Man City.

The 21-year-old is already regarded as one of the best players in the world and scored 86 goals in 89 games for Dortmund.

Haaland’s move has bolstered a Manchester City squad which has won the Premier League four time since 2018 and reached the Champions League final in 2021.

Carragher admits the move is a ‘worry’ for Premier League clubs but says another Man City title triumph is ‘not a forgone conclusion’.

‘It’s a worry for the rest of the Premier League,’ Carragher told Sky Sports.

‘We are talking about one of the world’s greats even at such a young age, but I don’t think anyone should be raising the white flag too early because it’s going to be really interesting how he fits into the team.

‘Pep Guardiola hasn’t really used a central striker in the last couple of years and he’s still been very successful.

‘So, it will be really interesting to see how he settles but from the Premier League’s point of view, I think it is fantastic that we’ve got one of the world’s leading players right now joining our league.

‘That doesn’t always happen, certainly at a young age, and a lot of his best years are going to be in the Premier League.

‘So, it’ll be really exciting for everyone to watch but it’s obviously going to be a tough proposition trying to stop Manchester City.’

The Liverpool legend added: ‘They have so many players now who don’t play through the middle. They keep the ball so well and they control the game so well. Maybe they will lose a little bit of that.

‘So, I don’t think it’s a forgone conclusion that means City are going to win everything.

‘They have a great team and a great manager, and I actually think Haaland coming in won’t make that much of a difference in terms of how many points they get. They always get in the mid-90s for points anyway, which is a remarkable feat.

‘He may have been brought in just to make that difference in those games where they just fell short, maybe more in the Champions League than the Premier League actually.

‘He’ll change, he’ll evolve, he’s still a lot to learn, he’s a young player. He’ll learn off one of the greatest coaches in world football. He’ll bring things to his game.

‘But he should also remember not to change too much. He is what he is. Powerful, his pace, the goals he gets…

‘That’s what I’m intrigued with, how he fits into that Pep Guardiola style which is a bit more slow and technical than the end-to-end type of football you see in the Bundesliga.’

Haaland, meanwhile, said he was in ‘the right place to fulfil his ambitions’ after joining Manchester City.

‘This is a proud day for me and my family,’ said Haaland, the son of former City captain Alf-Inge, who played for the club between 2000 and 2003.

‘I have always watched City and have loved doing so in recent seasons. You can’t help but admire their style of play – it’s exciting and they create a lot of chances, which is perfect for a player like me.

‘There are so many world-class players in this squad and Pep [Guardiola] is one of the greatest managers of all-time, so I believe I am in the right place to fulfil my ambitions.

‘I want to score goals, win trophies, and improve as a footballer and I am confident I can do that here. This is a great move for me, and I can’t wait to get started in pre-season.’