Erling Haaland discusses 115 charges outcome as Manchester City bosses await commission verdict | OneFootball

In an exclusive interview with TIME magazine, Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has spoken candidly on the ongoing review into the club’s alleged breaches of the Premier League’s Financial Fair Play rules.

City were charged with the alleged breaches and a failure to co-operate with a subsequent investigation in February 2023, though the club strenuously deny all allegations as the footballing world awaits an outcome to hearings held between September-December 2024 by an independent commission.

It has been a crossroads summer for Manchester City, who have moved on long-serving first-team stars such as Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne and recruited six new signings after a subpar 2024-25 campaign that saw Pep Guardiola and co finish the season trophyless.

City are also holding contract renewal talks with key players such as Nico O’Reilly, Ruben Dias and Rodri as they look to secure the future(s) of some of their best players after recruiting the likes of Rayan Ait-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki already this summer.

Guardiola’s squad reported for pre-season training at the start of the week as the Blues prepare for a friendly against Palermo in Italy next week before their 2025-26 Premier League opener away at Wolves on August 16.

After a disappointing season that was marred with injuries and key players being a shadow of their former, imperious selves, members of the Manchester City dressing room will be raring to go again and prove their doubters wrong following a sobering reminder of the consequences of taking their foot off the gas.

City won the Premier League for four consecutive seasons between 2021 and 2025 and will be desperate a claim a fifth league crown in six years next summer, with Liverpool themselves stronger than they were last season following the marquee signings of Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Hugo Ekitike.

Erling Haaland is one of Manchester City’s best players and after another impressive albeit collectively unsuccessful year for the boyhood blue, the 25-year-old Norwegian is set to lead from the front and spearhead his side towards a strong challenge for all major trophies.

Speaking exclusively to TIME magazine this week, Haaland was quizzed on his transfer to Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2022. “I felt that this was the last missing piece in the puzzle,” the forward said.

“Even though they did so well, I still felt I was so wanted here. And this also gave me kind of a boost and a confidence to come in and just smash everything.”

Haaland – like others within the Manchester City dressing room will be monitoring developments around the 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League’s Financial Fair Play rules – as he begins his fourth season at the Etihad Stadium.

“I spoke with the bosses, and in the end, I believe them,” the Leeds-born attacker added. “It’s such a tricky situation for me to even sit there and speak about, because I wasn’t really involved in it. So I think the club knows what they’re doing. They will sort it out.”

Having signed a sensational 10-year contract that will keep him at the club till the end of the 2033-34 season, Haaland said: “This feels really normal for me to do. They (the Manchester City board) have so much trust in me. Got the good feeling inside my body.”