Erling Haaland has admitted he likes Jack Grealish's "vibe" as the new Manchester City teammates have struck up a delightful bromance.
Haaland joined City from Borussia Dortmund earlier this summer and made his debut in their 1-0 win against Bayern Munich in Wisconsin on Saturday. The 22-year-old needed just 12 minutes to score his first goal for the club, converting a low cross from Grealish.
Much is expected of Haaland this season following his £51.2million transfer. The Norwegian enjoyed two-and-a-half stunning years at Dortmund, scoring 86 goals in just 89 games. He also boasts a superb record at international level, scoring 20 goals in 21 senior caps.
City fans are also hoping Grealish can finally make his mark at the Etihad after his £100m move from Aston Villa 12 months ago. The England international, 26, scored six goals and provided four assists during his debut campaign, a steady but not spectacular return.
Yet the early signs suggest Grealish may enjoy a fruitful partnership with Haaland. Speaking of Grealish, Haaland told Sky Sports: "He’s good. He has to get better, I have to get better, but good link. I like the vibe around him, so it’s going to be fun."
Grealish added on Twitter : "America it was a pleasure... Green Bay, what a place and what a stadium this was! Thank you! The big fella [Haaland] off the mark in 12 mins... great preparation for next week!"
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Haaland played 41 minutes against Bayern in a fixture that was severely disrupted by thunderstorms, but City fans saw enough to know they've got a serious talent on their hands. The prolific striker is the son of former City defender Alf-Inge Haaland.
"As you probably all know, I’ve been watching a lot of City games for the last years and the last years have been without a striker," added Haaland. "So of course I’ve been seeing myself in these kind of situations today, so I’m not surprised."
It's the first time Haaland has beaten Bayern for a while after suffering seven consecutive defeats to the Bundesliga champions during his time at Dortmund. He's now looking ahead to City's Community Shield clash against Liverpool in Leicester on Saturday coming.
"It was about time, I have to say, seven losses in a row, so to win against Bayern feels good," continued Haaland. "The quality is good and it was also good to play against Bayern to get a real test before Liverpool in the week."
Pep Guardiola was impressed with Haaland's display against Bayern. "He scored a goal which is important, these type of goals in front of keeper - always he’s there," said the City boss. "[It was his] first minutes, he needs more rhythm and time but already he had 45 minutes which is good for him.
"We’ll see how he reacts to the niggles that he had in the previous weeks. He’s done really well [in training]. He looks like a really nice guy, down to earth and funny."
