Erling Haaland's arrival at Manchester City has Pep Guardiola bursting with excitement

Manchester City will have a new face but an old name in their ranks from July 1.

Erling Haaland, touted as Europe's next genuine global superstar, will be part of Pep Guardiola's team for the next five seasons.

The strapping, 21-year-old Norwegian follows in the boot prints of his dad Alf-Inge whose stay at Maine Road encompassed three seasons and saw him captain the Blues under manager Joe Royle.

One wonders if Erland will show some sentimentality and ask City for dad's old No 15 shirt. It's currently unassigned.

Back in 2000, it was my job as the City correspondent for Manchester’s evening newspaper to chronicle Alfie's thoughts and life in the north-west of England through a weekly ‘Captain’s Column’.

Erling was born during this time and if he's inherited his dad's personality and drive, then City fans can expect a well rounded and focused 21-year-old.

Blunt, forthright, committed and not a sufferer of fools – including this one – Alfie was a leader who also knew how to have fun.

He was a likeable and popular dedicated professional who even said sorry for one of City's more pitiful performances – a 4-0 drubbing at Charlton Athletic – by paying for fans' petrol on the way home.

Erland, who will be earning a reported £375,000 per week, will – even with today's massively inflated prices at the UK pumps – be one of the few folk able to repeat his dad's largesse if it ever becomes necessary.

City are not just buying a world class striker with room to improve but someone they know will instantly fit into their dressing room and who has a first hand grasp of where the club has come from in the last two decades.

At a fee of £51 million ($63.15m) and even with the big wage bill attached, Haaland is wonderful business for