Man City bosses strike significant note on Erling Haaland arrival

It feels like judging apples and oranges to compare Manchester City and Manchester United these days, but there was still a striking contrast between the clubs as the Premier League season wound to an end.

In the red corner, interim manager Ralf Rangnick claimed not to know his successor was in the stands for their final season before Erik Ten Hag then refused to agree with Rangnick's assessment of the changes that needed to be made in the squad. Over at the Etihad, CEO Ferran Soriano was giving a lengthy interview to Catalan radio in language that was so similar to Pep Guardiola that the manager may as well have spoken them himself.

One of the primary reasons Guardiola could extend his contract at the Etihad is because of the warmth and support he feels from his bosses. A man who places considerable stock in loyalty is still grateful for the backing he received after his first trophyless season in English football when he was subject to ridicule elsewhere, and is given far more freedom and authority than he enjoyed at either Barcelona or Bayern Munich.

Also read: Erling Haaland jets into Manchester to complete Man City move

That is why, for instance, however frustrated Guardiola was at the failure to sign a No.9 last summer he did not let it boil over into a bigger issue. The manager adapted with the other resources given to him, and a year on City have won the league and are about to welcome one of the most exciting forwards in the game to the Etihad after agreeing a £51m fee with Dortmund for Erling Haaland.

Guardiola gave the impression of a kid in a sweet shop with the deal about to be announced, and despite preferring to focus on the title run-in he could not help but give his view on the transfer in response