Manchester City

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Ipswich Town (kick-off 16:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• He said Erling Haaland's contract "is exceptional news for the club" and it is proof of trust between him and the club.

• On why it is such a long deal: "He wants to show how much he wants to be here. He loves the club and the people he is around. He loves the Premier League and being here with his family. He must feel there is no better place for him in the next 10 years."

• Guardiola is confident Haaland can still improve, adding: "The team have to create an environment and moments when he can be unstoppable as that is when he is at his best."

• The City boss offered more on the striker and said: "He's making me a better manager."

• In response to whether he will also be tempted to sign a contract of nine and-a-half years, Guardiola joked: "Next season if I'm still here I'll have done 10 years, so he has to beat me!"

• Guardiola said the team will train and be assessed today but "some players finished with some problems - like in every game - so we will see."

• He said Phil Foden's smile is back after scoring twice against Brentford in the week and added: "In the first part of the year I was a little concerned and he was a bit more down. Sometimes you need to breathe and come back."

• On the board's backing: "The trust has always been there and in the last month or month and-a-half, in another environment I wouldn't still be here."

• On Liam Delap, who is impressing at Ipswich, Guardiola said: "So many players have come from this academy. We thought he was a typical striker for the Premier League and he is doing really well. We are happy for him."

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Former Manchester City midfielder Michael Brown s The Football News Show's Ben Croucher to discuss Erling Haaland's new contract at Manchester City, that will see him remain at the club until 2034.

Brown says it will enable the striker to focus purely on his football and explores how it will help City recruit new players.

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Mike Minay
BBC Radio Manchester reporter

Image source, Manchester City FC

This news seemed to come out of nowhere, but is a big statement from club and player.

Erling Haaland has consistently broke records, but they have usually been goalscoring ones – this one sets a new bar for contract length. But after all, his love affair with the Blues dates back to when his dad was a player at Maine Road.

He has sured expectations, quickly showing that yes, he can cut it in the English game. He has stayed largely injury free and has lived 24-7 for his profession, something Pep Guardiola ires.

Maybe Real Madrid g Kylian Mbappe has had an influence as, apart from heading to the Bernabeu, you question where else he would go as as next step.

He has decided the next step is closer to home.

Short term, it is about correcting the form of City - and himself - this season.

Medium term, it will be about chasing down more trophies – another Champions League, more Premier League titles.

Long term, it will be targeting Alan Shearer's Premier League record. With his current trajectory, breaking that is very doable.

In the background, it is difficult to ignore the charges that Manchester City are facing – and denying - from the Premier League.

Neither party has commented on what this deal tells us, but a nine-and-a-half year contract, in the year the Blues could face some of the harshest punishments ever dealt to a club if found guilty, perhaps doubles down City's stance that they have done nothing wrong, and demonstrates a strong trust between player and club.

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Erling Haaland has taken the Premier League by storm since his move from Borussia Dortmund.

The Norway striker has won two Premier League titles, one Champions League, one FA Cup, the Community Shield and Uefa Supercup.

In the Premier League alone he has scored 79 goals in his 87 appearances - a strike rate of 0.9 goals a game, and a record of scoring a goal every 91 minutes. As the graph below shows, that is the best of anyone who has played more than 5,000 minutes in the competition.

Given he has already scored eight hat-tricks, it is possibly not a huge surprise.

He is only six goals shy of being in the top 50 Premier League scorers of all time - and needs to score around 18 goals a season if he is to break the all-time scoring record over the duration of this contract.

At current pace, he would sur Alan Shearer's record of 260 goals towards the end of the 2029-30 season.

Image source, Getty Images

Erling Haaland says he is "City no matter what" after committing his future to the club for another nine-and-a-half years.

The 24-year-old's previous deal was set to expire in 2027, but he is now contracted to City until 2034.

"I am really happy to have signed my new contract and to be able to look forward to spending even more time at this great club," said the Norway striker.

"Manchester City is a special club, full of fantastic people with amazing ers and it's the type of environment that helps bring the best out of everybody.

"I also want to thank Pep, his coaching staff, my team-mates and everyone at the club as they have all helped me so much in the past couple of years. They have made this such a special place to be and now I am City, no matter what.

"Now I want to keep developing, keep working to get better and look to do my best to try and help us achieve more success going forward."

Tell us what you think of Haaland's deal

Image source, Manchester City FC

Manchester City's director of football, Txiki Begiristain, says Erling Haaland's "dedication, professionalism, humility and desire" are a true reflection of what the club strives to achieve daily.

Begiristain, who will depart City in the summer, said: "Everyone at the club is absolutely delighted that Erling has signed his new contract. The fact he is signed for so long demonstrates our commitment to him as a player, and his love of this club.

"He has made an incredible impact already in his time here and his amazing numbers and records speak for themselves.

"In addition to his outstanding natural talent and ability, Erling's dedication, professionalism, humility and desire to keep getting better sum up what we all strive to achieve at Manchester City.

"He is one of the finest strikers in world football, but Erling is still very young and will only continue to improve working under Pep and his coaching team. If he works hard, which I know he will, he will create an incredible legacy at this football club.

"Now he can focus on his game and continuing to play a huge part in helping us try to achieve even more success."

Image source, Manchester City FC

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has signed an unprecedented deal to keep him at City until 2034.

Haaland, who ed City in 2022 from Borussia Dortmund, has scored 111 goals in 126 appearances.

In his debut season, in which City won the Treble, his 52 goals in all competitions were more than any other striker in Europe that season and the greatest tally ever by a Premier League player.

He also broke Alan Shearer and Andy Cole's long-standing Premier League record for the most goals scored in a single season (36).

Read the full story here

Happy, City fans?

What do you make of the length of the deal?

A masterclass to tie him down for so long, or is a decade too long?

Let us know your thoughts

Manchester City would have to pay £67m for Juventus and Italy defender Andrea Cambiaso, 24, in the January transfer window. (Gianluca di Marzio - in Italian), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

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Image source, Getty Images

We asked for you what one thing - good or bad - that nobody is talking about at Manchester City but should be.

Here are some of your comments:

Mike: The elephant in the room is a replacement for Rodri. Even now our activity in the transfer market is around defenders and a backup striker. Zubimendi was available but now he looks as if he is going to Arsenal. We are dragging our feet over Ederson at Atalanta. Is it that we are just afraid of upsetting Rodri or that Pep Guardiola thinks we can survive without him?

Boza: We do not have the hunger that we used to have. The reason Liverpool sit top is because their team wants it more, otherwise we have a better squad than Liverpool. The second we get our hunger to win back we will be on form again.

Brian: Manchester City are now playable. Other teams have found the Achilles heel. The high-line is not easily defended and too much possession means that teams now push on in the counter-attack. Is the Pep gameplan no longer an asset?

Jahn: We need more clean sheets. I love Ederson, but it seems he is no longer at his best.

Kevin: It needs to be acknowledged that Gundogan's return has been an unmitigated mistake. His contribution has been ineffective and is miles away from his previous contributions. The end of his contract can't come soon enough.

Roger: The bigger picture of not having a succession plan in place for either ageing players or coaching staff will bite.

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• Chelsea 2-2 Bournemouth

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Another week and another two points dropped by Manchester City, after a 2-0 win unravelled at Brentford on Tuesday.

There has been plenty of talk this week about the futures of some of City's high profile players as well as a focus on the defence.

But what's the one thing no-one seems to be talking about but really should be?

Tell us here

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Tuesday's Premier League game between Brentford and Manchester City, where the Bees came from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw late on.

Here are some of your comments:

Brentford fans

Theo: A complete performance against one of the best clubs in the world. Very consistent in both halves, defended really well, looked dangerous going forward and battled for every ball. So much effort and pressing from the boys, and we never gave up! Couldn't be prouder of my team.

Mitch: I thought we were excellent, but if we'd been a little braver in the first half and played Kevin Schade from the start against a holding midfielder, we'd have won. I never felt we were overly threatened, and if we'd converted our chances... but what a fantastic game! Players were outstanding.

Rhys: Incredible night. Amazing performance. It should have been 5-2! Wonderful to watch and great to see Rico Lewis back in the Premier League.

Cliff: Super proud of our Brentford team. One of the best games at the Gtech this season and it felt like a win. I can't help but think that City should have completely closed the game down, though - and in previous seasons they would have I'm sure. Anyhow, Liverpool on Saturday!

City fans

Pat: Difficult one to take. For most of the game we were solid and controlled the midfield. We scored two very good goals and created numerous chances when we should have put the game to bed. Then we allow two soft goals in the last 10 minutes and drop two more points. But, for me, the game hinged on the decision to bring on Ilkay Gundogan for Mateo Kovacic. It felt wrong, looked wrong and ultimately changed the game.

Josh: Much better performance all round but same defensive frailties visible. Nathan Ake can't do it all - Josko Gvardiol and Manuel Akanji are still liabilities defensively.

Colin: Frightening to see how low City are in confidence. The play on the edge of the opposition box shows that no-one will take a risk and either shoot or make a risky . All very safe and very boring - and won't lead to goals. A shadow of their former selves.

Martin: I thought they were looking more creative up front. Phil Foden must be crestfallen at the jelly-like defending and inability of the team to close out wins. Savinho good. Matheus Nunes and Akanji awful. Poor choices of substitutions. Mid-table team this year but little buds are appearing for development.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, speaking to TNT Sports: "We're a bit disappointed but at 2-0 up we didn't manage to hold on to the lead and unfortunately we couldn't close the game.

"Today we didn't take the right decisions in the final third. I had the feeling that we didn't take the right decisions in the final third to close the game."

On the team being tired: "With the absence of the central defenders, Rodri, with many things, we are not [at our best] and we didn't take the right decisions. It's fine, it's not a good place to come. Unfortunately, we couldn't win."

On if he is happy with a point: "Yeah, it is what it is."

On why his side are struggling to hold on to leads: "I don't know, it can happen. Sometimes it happens. We have to manage a little bit better but today was not bad."

Michael Emons
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Leading 2-0 at the 82nd-minute mark, Manchester City will be heading north wondering how they left London without the three points.

Phil Foden's double had City on course for their third successive league win and their fourth in all competitions, before Brentford produced a superb fightback.

Yoane Wissa pulled one back, but City should have then restored their two-goal advantage only for Savinho, Erling Haaland and James McAtee to all miss chances before Bees skipper Christian Norgaard headed in an equaliser in the 92nd minute.

City have won the title in each of the past four seasons and this was a missed chance to close the gap on leaders Liverpool, who drew 1-1 at Nottingham Forest and remain 12 points ahead of Pep Guardiola's side.

One positive for City would have been Foden's two goals. He did superbly to control a side-footed volley from Kevin de Bruyne's excellent cross and then reacted quickest to prod him a second after Savinho's effort had been parried by Mark Flekken.

That is now four goals in Foden's past five Premier League matches after he had not scored in the opening four months of City's league campaign.

Foden won the Players' Player of the Year award last season and his form could be crucial if City are to push on and secure Champions League football for 2025-26.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden has scored seven Premier League goals against Brentford - only netting more against Brighton (eight). Indeed, six of his seven goals against the Bees have come at the Brentford Community Stadium, including each of his past five.

While team-mate Kevin De Bruyne has provided an assist in all three of his Premier League away games against Brentford, with all three assists being for Foden goals.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden, speaking to TNT Sports: "We just looked tired at the end. The last 20, 30 minutes, we looked leggy and they put the pressure on and put longer balls into the box. We didn't cope with the physicality at the end.

"It's one of the toughest places to come and they give you different challenges. I was happy with the performance up until we went 1-0 up and then after that we let our performance slip and gave the ball away. It's something to learn from. They gave us a challenge today and we did the best we could."

On the number of games Man City have to play: "We're used to it for many years, we've been playing the majority of the competitions and playing every three days so it's something the squad are quite used to, no excuses."

On Kevin de Bruyne's ball in for the first goal: "We've built that combination now for years, I've been playing with him and training with him. Me and Kev's connection is good on the pitch. He gave me the perfect ball, I just had to help it on and I was delighted to see it hit the back of the net."

On whether they are turning a corner: "It's definitely picked up from previously and performances are a lot better than they were. We've still got steps to go to where we want to be but as long as we keep making them small steps and improving, that's what we're aiming to do."