'Might surprise some people': Reporter names 'brilliant' player Erling Haaland urged Manchester City to sign

Manchester City look set to bring Ilkay Gundogan back to the club but snubbed Erling Haaland’s advice to sign another midfielder.

This has actually been a quiet summer as far as Manchester City’s summer goes.

Pep Guardiola won the Premier League title once again last season and has only added one new face this summer.

Savio arrived from Troyes having impressed on loan at Girona, continuing his time in the City Football Group.

City are now on the verge of another signing with TBR Football understanding that Ilkay Gundogan is returning to the club.

Gundogan only left for Barcelona last summer but is already on his way back to the Etihad Stadium.

Manchester City considered Sander Berge transfer

City may look at other signings before next week’s transfer deadline but one man who won’t be arriving is Sander Berge.

The Norwegian is on the move once again having joined Fulham from Burnley this week.

Berge joined the Clarets from Sheffield United last summer but couldn’t help Burnley stay in the Premier League.

The giant midfielder – hailed as ‘brilliant’ by former boss Paul Heckingbottom, as quoted by Examiner Live – has now secured his move to Fulham despite rumoured interest from Manchester United.

Intriguingly, Berge seems to have also been of interest on the other side of Manchester.

Reporter Duncan Castles has told The Transfers Podcast that City seriously considered a move to sign Berge as competition for Rodri.

Castles claims that City not only felt that Berge would be a good fit under Guardiola, but he was also recommended to City.

Norway teammate Erling Haaland and former Burnley coach Vincent Kompany allegedly recommended Berge to Guardiola, but he has instead joined Fulham.

“Interesting, Berge was also, I’m told, a consideration as a backup to Rodri at Manchester City, which might surprise some people,” said Castles. “The feeling was that his style of play would fit a team like Manchester City and he had some very significant advocates, should we say, in Erling Haaland, his Norway teammate, and Vincent Kompany, his previous coach, who were both recommending him to Pep Guardiola,” he added.

Berge friendship with Haaland

Haaland is hardly City’s director of football but he may be a little disappointed not to have seen Berge join him at the Etihad Stadium.

Berge and Haaland have been close friends for a while now and the midfielder opened up on their relationship during his time at Sheffield United.

Speaking to SUTV in April 2023, Berge noted that he and Haaland would often visit each other and have been close friends for a while.

“I speak with him every day. He’s been over to Sheffield a couple of times and I went over to see the Bayern Munich game last week and I stayed over at his house. It was obviously incredible to watch that game,” said Berge.

“He is a fun guy to catch up with and it is even better to play against him. I have been up against him before and it has not gone so well in the Champions League so hopefully it will this time,” he added.

Rather than become teammates, Berge and Haaland will be opponents in the Premier League this season with Fulham’s first clash with City this term coming on the 5th of October at the Etihad Stadium.