Good things come to those who wait.
And for Manchester City, almost 12 months on since their hopes of signing Harry Kane from Tottenham Hotspur faded away, the wait for a new striker has been worth it. The club has officially completed the signing of Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, ending their search for Sergio Aguero's long-term successor.
Haaland arrives in Manchester with the reputation of being one of the most exciting youngsters in world football, following a stellar two-and-a-half-year period in Germany. After joining Dortmund from Red Bull Salzburg in December 2019, he plundered a staggering 86 goals in 89 appearances, meaning it is quite easy to understand why so many clubs were intent on landing his signature.
READ MORE: Erling Haaland explains why he chose Man City in first words after transfer
His performances over the last two years have been well above what you would expect from the average 21-year-old. His attacking output produced numbers that the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo would have been proud of.
Therefore, it is little surprise that the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and City's cross-city rivals Manchester United were all linked with his signature before City confirmed that they had reached an agreement with Dortmund on May 10. He had captured the attention of some of the world's richest and most powerful clubs, all of which are steeped in history and decorated in silverware.
Yet it is City that have won the race. His arrival at the Etihad Stadium will only add further quality to one of the best teams on the planet, meaning their chances of retaining the Premier League title next season and winning their maiden Champions League crown have only been strengthened. It is a statement signing and one that could see City dominate Europe in years to come.
But if City are to become the dominant force on the continent over the coming years, they will need to rely on much more than just Haaland's brilliance in front of goal; they will also need Pep Guardiola's managerial excellence and expertise. He is still regarded as the best manager in the world by many, with his continued success showing no sign of slowing down.
And it is Guardiola's presence at City that is likely to have been at the forefront of Haaland's thinking when he was mulling over the many offers that had been presented to him over the last few months. That is because his father, Alf-Inge, who used to play for City, highlighted that it could be dangerous for his son to join a club where the manager could be at risk of being sacked.
Speaking back in March 2020, he said: "You never know how it would go in other clubs. It may well have been good, too, if we had chosen a different route.
"We'll never get an answer to that. But we are very happy with the clubs he has been in.
"You have to go to a club where the whole club wants you, not just the coach. I think that's the most important thing, in addition to how the club has been over the last five or ten years and what direction they've taken.
"Because it's dangerous to just sign for a coach, because he can suddenly be sacked."
Although Alf-Inge did not directly reference United in his admission, speculation, at the time, linking Haaland with a move to Old Trafford was rife. United had identified the striker as a firm target, but their distance from the Premier League summit, as well as uncertainty over their long-term project, always meant that they risked lagging behind their rivals in pursuit of his services.
Although he was awarded a new contract up until 2024 in July last year, uncertainty always surrounded former United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's long-term future. There was never a concrete feeling that he would enjoy a long-term tenure, as proven by his sacking last November.
At City, the correct structure and ethos has been in place for several years, meaning they are in a more sustainable position to attract big-name stars, even if United's pulling power is not completely dead in the water. But recent success was always going to give City the edge over their bitter rivals.
And Haaland's arrival at the Etihad Stadium could suggest that he believes Guardiola could stay at City for a few more years. The Catalan's contract expires next summer, but he has already confirmed that he will not be extending his deal. Not this summer, anyway.
But the addition of Haaland could convince Guardiola to put pen to paper on a new contract and extend his stay in M11 sooner rather than later. Haaland's arrival offers him the opportunity to develop one of the world's most exciting talents and add further brownie points to his CV.
His track record speaks for itself and is bound to have been a factor in convincing Haaland to swap the Bundesliga for the Premier League. Therefore, the striker's arrival may convince the former Bayern Munich to stick around a little longer.
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