The 2024/25 campaign did not go to plan for Erling Haaland and Man City.
The Norwegian superstar has been a huge hit ever since he completed his move from Borussia Dortmund in 2022, with the 24-year-old on course to become the Manchester club’s greatest ever goalscorer, having produced 121 goals across just three seasons at the Etihad Stadium.
The current campaign has not been too kind to the striker as he has struggled for form, while Haaland missed several games during the second half of the season after suffering an ankle injury.
Haaland plans to stay at Man City for many more years, and what the Norwegian said to the Manchester club’s chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak after City’s final game of the season against Fulham shows that he is ready to get his career back on track.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Erling Haaland doesn’t want to go on vacation this summer
Haaland ended his domestic season with Man City by scoring in the Manchester club’s 2-0 win over Fulham on the final day of the season, and after the contest at Craven Cottage, the Norwegian told Al Mubarak that he doesn’t want to go on vacation and instead prepare for the 2025/26 campaign.
“All of the players, everyone I saw yesterday after the Fulham game. The players are excited, they’re excited to come back,” the Manchester club’s chairman told Man City’s YouTube channel.
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“I can see the hunger in these players. Honestly, every player I spoke to was saying to me, ‘we’re coming back, we’re ready to come back in three weeks’ time.
“Rodri for example, he’s looking for games, Erling, he didn’t want to go on vacation. He wanted to stay with the physios and prepare for next season, that’s the attitude you want.”
Haaland was not happy with how this season played out for him, and the Norwegian seems determined to remind the world what he can do on a football pitch again.
Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Erling Haaland was not happy with his 24/25 campaign
Haaland produced 31 goals and four assists across 44 games this season, and although many strikers would be very happy with those numbers at the start of a season, that is below what is expected of the 24-year-old.
The Man City star has been criticised a lot in recent months, with Alan Shearer questioning Haaland’s mentality after shying away from a penalty in the FA Cup final.
Season Games Goals Assists
24/25 44 31 4
23/24 45 38 7
22/23 53 52 9
Erling Haaland’s Man City stats
Going by the striker’s words to Al Mubarak, the Norway international seems determined to get back to his best ahead of the 2025/26 season, as Pep Guardiola will need his number nine to be firing on all cylinders if City are to close the gap on Liverpool.
Haaland knows he was not good enough during the current campaign, but there is nothing better than a poor season if it can be used as fuel to make the next one a campaign to remember.