Expert reveals why rivals may have rejected Erling Haaland deal amid Man City latest
Erling Haaland’s injury record may have been “offputting” for other clubs – but Man City will feel the risk is well worth the potential pay-off.
That is the view of injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine and data analysis.
City confirmed the blockbuster capture of Norwegian superstar Haaland, 21, from Borussia Dortmund last month (10 May).
The goalscoring phenomenon missed 16 games to separate muscle injuries in 2021-22.
But as quoted by The Sun last Friday (24 June), City’s chief executive Ferran Soriano claimed: “We’ve done every medical check we could do and we are confident.”
Dinnery, however, suggests that other suitors may have been worried by the striker’s susceptibility to soft tissue issues.
“It was a big-money signing and the numbers made a lot of sense for both parties,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“Maybe they are in a position to shoulder a level of risk that might have been offputting to other teams.
“But the fact the medical process took place over several days proves they have done their due diligence and left no stone unturned.
“While there are no guarantees, you want to do as much to mitigate the risk as possible. He is the marquee signing of the summer transfer window.
“After all that battery of tests, if City feel that the risk-reward is worth that investment, great. You just hope that, if there is a setback early on in his City career that everybody doesn’t pile in on him.
“These things happen when you’re acclimatising to life in the Premier League, but I am fairly confident the guy will deliver, and he certainly will do if he stays fit.”
Haaland will travel with City for their pre-season tour of America in July.
He netted 27 times in 29 apperances in all competitions in 2021-22.
In other news, pundit suggests Man City may be ready to sell Oleksandr Zinchenko as personal terms agreed.