Manchester City

The Wales great confirmed on Monday his career in professional football has come to an end after representing his country at the 2022 World Cup.

Despite his brilliance as footballer over the years, it is certainly not the only sport Bale is closely associated with.

During his time in Madrid, Bale's penchant for taking to the golf course while injured began to tee Los Blancos fans off, and former player Predrag Mijatovic once suggested the Welshman's priorities were "Wales, then golf, and after that, Real Madrid".

Wales fans subsequently turned it into a chant and slogan, with Bale even among the players holding a flag that read "Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order" as the team celebrated reaching Euro 2020.

Ever since, it has been a running joke largely used to poke fun at Madrid, and Guardiola – while paying tribute to the 33-year-old – made the most of a gimme opportunity with a quip of his own.

When first asked if he had ever tried to sign Bale, Guardiola said with a grin: "Too expensive.

"What a player. Fantastic career, won a lot of things, and I think he represented Wales and won more than 100 caps.

"And now he will become a fantastic golf player."

While Guardiola may not have ever invited Bale to join him at Manchester City, Bayern Munich or Barcelona despite occasional links, it seems he did approach him about hitting the course.

Bale's unavailability then meant they were unable to iron out the details, but he appears likely to get another offer soon.

Guardiola added: "He was busy, but now maybe he has time, I will invite him again."

The Germany international will initially cost Bayern €49million (£44.5m), rising to €60m (£54.5m) and is expected in Munich on Wednesday, Stats Perform News understands.

Sane joined City from Schalke in 2016 in a deal reportedly worth an initial £37m (€40m) and he went on to show flashes of immense ability during his first campaign.

He elevated his game to the next level in 2017-18 and won the Professional Footballers' Association's (PFA) Young Player of the Year award as Pep Guardiola's side clinched the Premier League title.

Sane helped City to another top-flight crown the following year and scored 16 goals across all competitions, though links with Bayern became commonplace towards the end of 2018-19.

Bayern were rumoured to have been interested in bringing the winger back to the Bundesliga last year, however they were said to be unwilling to match City's asking price.

Sane then suffered a serious knee injury in the Community Shield last August and only returned to the pitch in June.

Much of his time on the sidelines coincided with strengthening reports of Sane desiring a move to Munich, and on June 19 Guardiola confirmed the 24-year-old had informed the club he would not be signing an extension to his contract.

As such, Guardiola accepted Sane was either to be sold this year or leave on a free transfer in June 2021.

City have at least avoided the latter scenario, though the reported fee of up to €60m is significantly less than the £137m (€150m) asking price they are alleged to have set in 2019.

Roberto Firmino scored the first-half winner as the unbeaten Reds recorded their 20th top-flight victory in 21 games to take their tally to 61 points this term.

In the three-points-for-a-win era, that is the biggest points haul any team in Europe's top five leagues has ever managed after 21 games.

The likes of Barcelona, PSG, Juventus and Bayern Munich have enjoyed spells as all-conquering giants in their respective domestic leagues, yet none of those sides have been able to achieve such a total at the same stage.

In avoiding defeat, Klopp's side also extended their unbeaten Premier League run to 38 games, the equivalent of a full season.

They have accrued 104 points in that time, winning 33 times and drawing on five occasions, bettering the previous record totals Manchester City and Chelsea (both 102) managed across 38-match spells in 2017-18 and 2005 respectively.

Here, the PA news agency looks at their route to the Ataturk Stadium.

Group stage (Manchester City 14pts, Borussia Dortmund 9, Sevilla 5, Copenhagen 3)

City dominated Group G to ease into the knockout stages for a 10th consecutive season with two matches to spare. The game that saw them clinch their spot was actually a forgettable goalless draw in Copenhagen in which Sergio Gomez was sent off, but the job had been largely done with victories in their first three games. They opened with a 4-0 victory over Sevilla, came from behind to beat Dortmund 2-1 with Erling Haaland grabbing the late winner against his former club and thrashed the Danes first time round 5-0. They were then held 0-0 in Dortmund but finished off by beating Sevilla 3-1 at home.

Last 16: RB Leipzig (won 8-1 on aggregate)

Pep Guardiola’s side failed to make their dominance count as they were held to a 1-1 draw by the Germans at the Red Bull Arena but any doubts after that game were swiftly put aside in the second leg. City romped to a 7-0 win in the return with the prolific Haaland helping himself to five goals. Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan also got on the scoresheet. Riyad Mahrez scored City’s goal in the first leg before Josko Gvardiol hit back.

Quarter-finals: Bayern Munich (won 4-1 on aggregate)

Haaland made one of many entries into the record books as City all but wrapped up their place in the last four with an impressive 3-0 win over German giants Bayern in the first leg at the Etihad Stadium. Haaland netted his 45th goal of the campaign – a record for a Premier League player across all competitions – after an earlier Rodri stunner and Bernardo Silva effort. The Norwegian missed a penalty in the return at the Allianz Arena but bounced back to make it 4-0 on aggregate before Bayern finally registered with a late Joshua Kimmich spot-kick.

Semi-finals: Real Madrid (won 5-1 on aggregate)

City produced arguably their greatest performance under Guardiola as they ruthlessly dethroned holders and 14-time champions Madrid to avenge their loss at the same stage last year. They dominated the first leg at the Bernabeu Stadium in terms of possession but were caught by a counter-attack and had to settle for a 1-1 draw as superb strikes from Vinicius Junior and De Bruyne cancelled each other out. They moved up a gear in the second leg and completely overran Carlo Ancelotti’s side. Silva struck twice and Manuel Akanji and Julian Alvarez also scored in a clinical and resounding display.

Sergio Aguero is to travel to Barcelona for an assessment on his damaged left knee, Manchester City have confirmed.

The Argentina superstar sent shockwaves through Camp Nou last week when he announced he wanted to leave Barca in the wake of the humiliating 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Messi was of the belief he could leave on a free transfer after activating a clause allowing him to terminate his contract at the end of the season, with Manchester City quickly emerging as favourites for his signature.

LaLiga disputed that claim, though, and insisted any potential suitor would have to negotiate with Barca or pay the €700million release clause in Messi's contract, with his option to leave for nothing having expired on June 10.

Messi's father and agent Jorge met Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu to discuss the six-time Ballon d'Or winner's future on Wednesday, prior to which he stated it would be "difficult" for his son to stay.

However, reports emerged after the meeting that a transfer for Messi would likely start a civil court case, while City were also said to be unable to do a deal if a transfer fee - even one significantly below the release clause - was involved. 

Consequently, Messi confirmed on Friday he would not be moving because the option of a free transfer was no longer on the table.

He told Goa Spainl: "I thought and was sure that I was free to leave. The president always said that at the end of the season I could decide if I stayed or not.

"Now they cling to the fact that I did not say it before June 10, when it turns out that on June 10 we were competing for LaLiga in the middle of this awful coronavirus, and this disease altered all the season.

"This is the reason why I am going to continue with the club.

"Now I am going to continue because the president told me that the only way to leave was to pay the €700m clause, and this is impossible."

Premier League champions City made the decision in conjunction with UEFA after Madrid established a self-imposed quarantine in the wake of a positive coronavirus test by one of their basketball players on Thursday.

Juve's game was pushed back after centre-back Daniele Rugani was found to have contracted COVID-19, with the club consequently following isolation procedures.

Premier League champions City made the decision in conjunction with UEFA after Madrid established a self-imposed quarantine in the wake of a positive coronavirus test by one of their basketball players on Thursday.

Manchester City have confirmed their withdrawal from the proposed European Super League, leaving the controversial tournament in tatters within 48 hours of being announced.

Foden moved onto 16 league goals for the season with a first-half brace at the Amex Stadium, seeing a free-kick deflect past a wrongfooted Jason Steele before stroking home after some reckless play from the Seagulls.

De Bruyne had earlier given City the lead with what was his 68th Premier League goal but the first with his head, as Pep Guardiola's men made light of Erling Haaland's injury-enforced absence.

Julian Alvarez added a fourth as City pulled two points clear of Liverpool and within one of Arsenal with a game in hand, knowing five further wins will guarantee they retain their crown.  

Brighton, meanwhile, stay in the bottom half with 44 points, having been surpassed by Bournemouth on Wednesday.

Nathan Ake could not keep his shot down when presented with the first half-chance after a low-key start, but City went ahead with a brilliant goal after 17 minutes.

Foden slipped Kyle Walker in on the right flank, and De Bruyne watched the full-back's cross all the way before sending a wonderful diving header into the top-right corner.

There was more fortune about City's second, which arrived just nine minutes later as Foden's free-kick deflected in off Pascal Gross amid Brighton complaints about how Foden won the set-piece.

Brighton only had themselves to blame when Foden got his second after 34 minutes, though. Valentin Barco conceded possession cheaply on the edge of his area, and Foden swept the loose ball into the bottom-left corner.

Ederson denied Joao Pedro as Brighton improved in the second half, but City had further daylight just after the hour mark, Walker breaking in behind and beating Steele to a loose ball, with Alvarez on hand to turn home.

Brighton were enraged when Josko Gvardiol avoided conceding a penalty for a clumsy challenge on Pedro, who skewed wide late on as City – who went close to a fifth through Jeremy Doku late on and face struggling Nottingham Forest next – claimed a statement win.

Foden's star still rising

Foden has emerged as the favourite to be crowned Premier League Player of the Season, and he has gone up a gear in the run-in, also scoring a hat-trick on his last league appearance when City thrashed Aston Villa 4-1 earlier this month.

He was in imperious form again on Thursday, even if Brighton's fans were not happy with the way he went down for the free-kick that ultimately resulted in his first goal.

That strike was Foden's 50th in the Premier League, making him just the third player to score 50 top-flight goals under Guardiola while aged 23 or younger, after Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland.

It is no wonder Brighton's fans are sick of the sight of the England man; he has eight goals in his last eight Premier League appearances against the Seagulls, more than he has scored against any other club in the competition.

Seagulls' wings clipped

Hampered by injuries to the likes of Pervis Estupinan, Kaoru Mitoma and Evan Ferguson, Brighton have seen their European hopes falter in recent weeks and now appear to be limping to the finishing line.

Roberto De Zerbi's team are winless in their last five Premier League games (two draws, three defeats) and sit six points adrift of the top seven with matches against Bournemouth, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Chelsea and Manchester United to come.

Brighton have even seen their supply of goals dry up, scoring just four times in eight league matches since thrashing Sheffield United 5-0 in February. 

Norway international Terland left SK Brann for Brighton in August and will hope to make her Women's Super League debut on Friday against Arsenal.

The 21-year-old, who has 13 international caps, referenced the rapid start Haaland has made to life at Manchester City, where he has scored 13 goals in just nine appearances since leaving Borussia Dortmund.

Haaland enjoyed a reunion with his former club on Wednesday, netting a sublime acrobatic finish to take his tally to 26 goals in 21 Champions League appearances – a strike every 62 minutes on average.

With City's new recruit taking the Premier League by storm, Terland hopes to emulate her fellow Norwegian as she prepares for a new challenge in England.

"The things he's doing at the moment are sick. It's just cool to see how a player can come into a new league and come into a new team and just perform time after time," she told Stats Perform. 

"Of course, it's inspiring. Everybody from Norway is really proud of him and what he's doing. Everybody is supporting him. He's a good product of our country."

While Haaland has made a flying start at City, tennis player Ruud reached his second major final of the season at the US Open.

Carlos Alcaraz proved a step too far for Ruud in the battle for the world number one spot at Flushing Meadows on Sunday, but the 23-year-old is another compatriot serving as inspiration for Terland.

"I did watch a little bit [of the US Open final]. It was quite late. Of course, it's just as inspiring to see people doing well in [other] sports," she added.

"That makes you want to do well in sports as well. [He is] a great athlete and does it time after time as well. Hopefully, next time he will win."

Shaw was Bordeaux’s leading goal scorer with 22 goals that saw her win the Golden Boot in the Division 1 Féminine, leading her side to a third-place finish and a place in the Champions League.

Media reports in April suggested that the 24-year-old forward was close to signing a deal with Manchester City in the Women’s Super League. The player also asked to be excused from national duties while Jamaica participates in the ongoing WNT Summer Series in the United States.

The Reggae Girlz defeated Nigeria 1-0 in the tournament’s opening match on Thursday thanks to a 51st-minute goal from Deneisha Blackwood.

According to the Jamaica Football Federation, Shaw asked for time to recover from an intense season and to consider her future. Based on an Instagram post this morning, she seemed to have come to a decision.

“I would like to start by saying thank you to FC Girondins de Bordeaux for giving me the opportunity to grow and become a better footballer. Thank you to my teammates and staff for making me feel at home since I arrived. I take with me two years of memories, lessons and amazing moments.

“Lastly, the fans, your never-ending love and support have always pushed me to go the extra distance. You were instrumental in our achievement, especially this season. I have no doubt that the club will continue to progress and reap deserving success. All the best and good luck for the future.”

Shaw signed her first professional contract in June 2019, when she signed a two-year deal with Bordeaux following an outstanding collegiate career playing for the University of Tennessee and a brief spell with semi-professional side Florida Krush.

Shaw has scored 42 goals for Jamaica and led them to qualification for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Shaw scored in the 46^th, 62^nd and 85^th minutes as Manchester City ran out 6-0 winners over Leicester City. Vicky Losada (53^rd), Alex Greenwood (71^st) and Filippa Angeldhal (87^th) were the other scorers in the rout that marked a return to winning ways for the Garth-Taylor coached side.

"It's a wonderful feeling," said Shaw, who was scoring for the first time on her home ground after signing in the summer from Bordeaux. "It's always good to score goals and help the team. I'm here to help the team in any way possible. I'm here to win trophies and you have to win games first and foremost.”

She said she has been working on certain aspects of her game that she believes will help her become even better at what she does best; scoring goals.

"It's one of the things I've been trying to work on: getting in the right positions and timing it right for when the ball comes,” she said. "When you practice and it happens on the pitch, you're happy because it's something you've practised before. I have to give my team credit because they played me some wonderful balls.

"It's a team effort. I'm scoring the goals but if it wasn't for my team, it wouldn't be possible. As long as I'm getting the balls in the right positions to help the team, you can see more.”

The Jamaican striker scored after just four minutes before adding a second in the 21^st.

Lauren Hemp added a third for Manchester City in stoppage time at the end of the first half as the English side went into the break, up 3-0.

The Citizens were unable to add a fourth until the 82^nd minute when Vicky Losada netted.

Denya Castellanos added a fifth from the penalty spot in the 89^th.

Salt was rubbed into the Kazakhstan side’s gaping wound when Aytaj Sharifova’s own goal completed the rout.

The victory means Manchester City gets another crack at Real Madrid, which knocked them out of the qualifying round of the Champions League last season.

Real Madrid blanked Austria’s Sturm Graz 6-0 in their encounter.

Shaw, 24, arrives from Bordeaux in France where she scored 22 goals to win the Golden Boot Award in the Women’s First Division.

“It feels amazing to be a Manchester City player. I chose this club because I want to be a part of the environment, the culture and to play for this amazing team,” she said. “I want to be tested and there is so much experience in the team here, so I know I will learn a lot from everybody around me. I grew up as a City fan, and I even have some family members who live in Manchester. When I told them about my move, they were so happy and excited.”

Goal.com had reported in April that the player was close to a deal with Manchester City, which was looking to add depth to their forward pool and provide their head coach with different tactical options.

The player took to Instagram last week to announce that she was leaving Bordeaux but there was no confirmation as to where she was headed.

That confirmation came today with the club’s announcement.

Naturally, head coach Gareth Taylor was delighted with the signing and welcomed the Jamaicans to the club, who plays in the Women’s Super League in England.

"She's enjoyed a successful couple of years in France with Bordeaux and the fact that she finished as the league's top scorer this past campaign speaks volumes about the calibre of player that she is,” he said. “Her form on the international stage is incredibly impressive too and we're very much looking forward to working with her over the coming seasons."

 

 

 

 

The forward arrives from Bordeaux after scoring 22 goals in 20 league

Champions Manchester City and last season’s runners-up Arsenal will resume battle with the Gunners’ having struck an early blow in the Community Shield, while newcomers Burnley, Sheffield United and Luton begin the task of ensuring their stay among the big boys is not fleeting.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the talking points surrounding the opening fixtures.

Auf wiedersehen, Harry?

Harry Kane’s “will he, won’t he?” summer saga finally approached its conclusion on the eve of the new campaign as he headed for Germany with a view to tying up a £95million switch from Tottenham to Bayern Munich. The England skipper’s impending departure is likely to dismay fans of a club which drastically under-achieved in finishing eighth last season. Spurs open their campaign at Brentford on Sunday with the travelling supporters contemplating what life after Harry may represent.

Big six backlash?

If last season’s top three had a familiar look about it with Manchester United following their neighbours and Arsenal across the finishing line, there was a measure of turbulence below them as Newcastle disturbed the established order to push Liverpool out of the top four and Brighton claimed sixth spot with Aston Villa hot on their heels. Despite losing Jordan Henderson and Roberto Firmino to the Saudi Arabian exodus, the Reds have added World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai to their ranks with Moises Caicedo also seemingly on his way to Anfield, while James Maddison is perhaps the most eye-catching of Tottenham’s summer arrivals and Chelsea’s spending spree shows no signs of abating as the wounded prepare to fight back.

Baptism of fire

If Gary O’Neil felt hard done by when he was relieved of his duties at Bournemouth in June having steered the club to Premier League safety, it did not blunt his readiness to take on a challenge. The former Portsmouth and Middlesbrough midfielder was parachuted into the hotseat vacated by dissatisfied Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui after the Spaniard and the club decided to go their separate ways as a result of disagreements over recruitment. O’Neil stepped into the void with just days to prepare for Wolves’ opening fixture – a daunting trip to a rejuvenated Manchester United on Monday evening.

Welcome to the jungle

Burnley, Sheffield United and Luton will set foot in the top flight knowing the first and overwhelming priority is survival. Last season was the first since 2017-18 when the three promoted clubs all stayed up, with at least one having made an immediate return to the top flight at the end of each of the previous four. The Hatters last played in England’s top division in 1992, but having worked their way back from the non-league ranks in the last decade, they know all about fighting tooth and nail.

In it for the long haul

Unpopular as it may be with some, referees’ chief Howard Webb has insisted moves to eradicate time-wasting are here to stay, and that means there could be some lengthy matches this season. Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and Manchester United defender Raphael Varane are among those to have questioned moves to tackle the game’s “dark arts”, as well as behaviour on and off the pitch, but their concerns have fallen on deaf ears. How will they feel after the weekend?

Fresh from his move to Camp Nou in the transfer window, Lewandowski will return to familiar surroundings with Barcelona and Bayern Munich – who boast 11 Champions League titles between them – drawn in a tough Group C along with Inter.

And another reunion will see Haaland come up against Borussia Dortmund, whom he left to join Pep Guardiola's Manchester City. They find themselves in Group G alongside Sevilla and Copenhagen.

Another heavyweight clash will take place in Group H, with Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus set to lock horns.

Manchester City is the principal club in a growing portfolio across the globe for CFG, which was established a decade ago.

CFG has now added Salvador-based Bahia, announcing on Thursday they had acquired 90 per cent of the club with the remaining portion continuing to be held by Esporte Clube Bahia.

Ferran Soriano, chief executive of CFG, said: “We now begin a journey as partners to help the club reach its full potential while staying true to its community, roots, members and the energy that makes Bahia and Brazilian football some of the most exciting in the world.

“City Football Group will bring all its experience, know-how, technology and passion to support Bahia on this journey.”

Bahia become the third South American club that form part of CFG, joining Montevideo City Torque in Uruguay and partner club Bolivar in Bolivia.

Manchester City, New York City FC, Melbourne City, Yokohama F. Marinos, Girona, Sichuan Jiuniu, Mumbai City, Lommel, Troyes and Palermo complete the list.

Guardiola could delight in picking out the lethal Romario from midfield. Where he trod for Barcelona, Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho duly followed.

"Pep has a special feeling for Brazilian players," Guardiola's former assistant and newly appointed Flamengo boss Domenec Torrent told Globoesporte earlier this year.

"In fact, he has a preference for Brazilians because they are very versatile and can adapt to any type of football."

It was little surprise to see Brazil internationals at the heart of Guardiola's plans for Friday's Champions League showdown with Real Madrid, with a 2-1 win and 4-2 aggregate victory their reward. But Jogo Bonito, this was not.

FERNANDINHO'S STEADYING HAND

Eric Garcia's decision to reject a new contract at City has the teenage centre-back heading for the exit door – a situation sure to have caused his manager anguish on the eve of Madrid's arrival in Manchester.

Guardiola has placed great faith in a 19-year-old he declares "does not make mistakes". Negotiating your way out of a potentially triumphant Champions League campaign might count as one.

Garcia had established himself as Aymeric Laporte's first-choice partner in central defence over recent weeks. His apparently pending return to boyhood club Barcelona meant a defensive recall for a man 16 years his senior.

In their first season since Vincent Kompany's departure, City have wanted for leadership and presence on the big occasions. Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham all have victories over them.

The sight of Fernandinho, striding out as captain felt like a grown-up heading into a situation where one was required. Converted from a central midfielder this season, he made a perfectly judged tackle when the in-form Karim Benzema lurked on the edge of the City area in the fifth minute.

TIRELESS JESUS GIVES VARANE NO REST

At the other end of the field, Fernandinho's international team-mate Gabriel Jesus resumed the hard yards he carried out in City's 2-1 first-leg win. Guardiola doesn't often have a need for left-wing donkey work. When he does, Jesus dutifully trots over from centre-forward and gets to work. Romario would never have entertained such a thing.

Jesus lined up in an ever-alert and harassing front three alongside Phil Foden and Raheem Sterling. He seized upon Raphael Varane's first error of a personal ordeal to selflessly give Sterling his 100th goal in City colours.

The Brazilian in the City line-up possessing the most flair was arguably their goalkeeper. Ederson's passing was once again bafflingly good in its range an execution, but he had the basics of his craft in immaculate order as he denied Benzema sharply and snaffled any other shot that came his way.

He had little chance when Madrid's number nine powered in a header to equalise on the night. After that wobble, Jesus bought a free-kick then won a header from a long ball pumped to his flank.

Little flecks of dirty work to draw the sting from a difficult moment. And all while a Yorkshireman at right-back was gallivanting about like gloriously renegade Cafu. Kyle Walker gained possession nine times - more than any other City player - and won all seven of his duels.

MADRID'S AURA EBBS AWAY

As has been the case over the course of City's season, chances were created and spurned by vibrant but profligate attackers. If they lose in Lisbon, it will probably be in circumstances were they feel they shouldn't have.

It felt dicey to have left the door ajar to such greats of the competition. But during an increasingly torrid second period for Madrid – in line with Juventus's woes in Turin – the layers of an aura fell away and time ticked loudly on some great careers.

Kevin De Bruyne was romping around and tearing holes in a manner reminiscent of the man in the away dugout and errors from a ragged Madrid defence were piling up.

Dani Carvajal, who could have done without Sterling's company when Guardiola shuffled his front three at half-time, coughed up possession 15 times. Ferland Mendy and Varane were also into double figures in that regard, with the latter culpable when the tie was put to bed.

Lurking with maximum nuisance value was Jesus, producing a one-touch finish to make Romario and his other great countrymen purr. A moment of triumph etched from a thousand beads of sweat rolling down Guardiola's robust Brazilian spine.

Haaland needs just seven more goals to match the 34 netted by Cole for Newcastle United in 1993-94 and Alan Shearer for Blackburn Rovers in 1994-95.

The City superstar has played only 25 league games so far this season, averaging a goal every 75 minutes.

Cole averaged a goal every 106 minutes across 40 matches, while Shearer scored every 111 minutes over 42 games.

Barring injury, it appears inevitable Haaland will beat two of the Premier League's greatest goalscorers, yet Cole is not bitter.

"Records are there to be broken, it's that simple," he told Stats Perform. "When people have mentioned it to me, it's not as if I'm going home and crying and saying: 'Oh no!'

"I've said to people it doesn't bother me in the slightest, I don't care. If someone deserved to break that record, go ahead and do it.

"I'm not going to sit here rocking myself to sleep in the hallway hoping he doesn't do it; it doesn't bother me because I'm not so conceited. I'm really not.

"I don't care if he does it. I'll be the first one to congratulate him. Records are there to be broken."

Haaland has been "absolutely phenomenal" for City, according to Cole, although he "will want to improve in getting involved in the play a little bit more".

Cole does not doubt he will be able to do that, adding: "He's still a baby and is still learning the game."

But with City trailing Arsenal in the Premier League title race, it has been suggested they have suffered for having Haaland up front.

Cole said: "People say he shouldn't have signed for Man City because he doesn't fit in.

"But if I've got 27 goals by February, and everyone's telling me that I've made the wrong move... what's the right move, then?

"You've got 27 goals by the end of February, and you've got the chance to get to 40 goals. I'm not sure what everyone expects for him."

The former Newcastle, Manchester United and City striker added: "I don’t think there's anything to actually think about.

"Because when people say he's made the wrong move or he's gone to the wrong club, what is he supposed to do? He's gone to clubs, scored goals, is far beyond anyone else in the Premier League for scoring goals.

"He's made the wrong move? He doesn't fit? How does he not fit? If he's got 27 goals so far, by the end of February, but he doesn't fit and doesn't get involved in the play, we don't need to have that conversation.

"We don’t need to have that conversation and to talk about getting involved and doing other things. It's as simple as that. Now, it's a crazy [conversation]."