Guardiola expects 'incredible' Haaland to 'adapt perfectly' to Manchester City system

Norwegian striker will join the Premier League giants from Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season

Manchester City's Belgian star Kevin De Bruyne celebrates after scoring his and his team's fourth goal during the 5-1 Premier League win at Wolves. AFP

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne celebrates after scoring the first goal. Getty

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne celebrates scoring the first. PA

De Bruyne celebrates with teammates after scoring the first. EPA

Wolves' Leander Dendoncker levels the scores at 1-1. Getty

Wolves' Jose Sa celebrates after Leander Dendoncker scores. Reuters

Kevin De Bruyne scores City's second goal. AP

Kevin De Bruyne celebrates scoring their second goal with Raheem Sterling. Reuters

Kevin De Bruyne celebrates after scoring City's second goal. AP

De Bruyne celebrates scoring City's third goal with Phil Foden. Reuters

De Bruyne celebrates City's third goal and his hat-trick. Getty

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne scores their third goal. Reuters

Kevin De Bruyne celebrates after scoring his fourth goal. AFP

De Bruyne celebrates after scoring his team fourth goal. AFP

Raheem Sterling scores City's fin al goal in the 5-1 victory. EPA

Kevin De Bruyne is handed the match ball by referee Martin Atkinson. Reuters

Pep Guardiola has described Erling Haaland as an "incredible young talent" and expects the Norwegian striker to settle quickly into his system at Manchester City.

Haaland, 21, is set to join City at the end of the season after the Premier League champions agreed a deal in principle with Borussia Dortmund and their star forward. All that remains is finalising personal terms with Haaland and paying Dortmund his £51.25 million ($63.15m) release clause.

Having scored scored 85 goals in 88 appearances in all competitions so far for Dortmund, Haaland's arrival provides City a prolific goalscorer and long-term successor to Sergio Aguero.

City have hardly struggled without a recognised striker this season, scoring a league-leading 94 goals, but the presence of Haaland will add even more potency to their attack, particularly in the Champions League knockout rounds where City have come unstuck in recent seasons.

"It is a decision for the club to make a good sign for the future," Guardiola said after City's 5-1 win at Wolves on Wednesday, which moved the defending champions three points clear of Liverpool in the Premier League title race.

"He can come for many, many years hopefully and I am pretty sure he will adapt perfectly to our team for next season. The players make you a good manager. He is an incredible young talent, perfect age. I am pretty sure we are going to help him settle as best possible."

Haaland forming an effective partnership with playmaker Kevin De Bruyne is a mouthwatering prospect for City, although the Belgian turned from provider to prolific finisher against Wolves by scoring four of his team's five goals, taking his tally to 18 in all competitions this season.

Wolves v Man City player ratings

WOLVES RATINGS: Jose Sa 4 – Five goals conceded and poor distribution capped a poor evening for the Portuguese stopper. He was arguably at fault for City’s first two goals, De Bruyne punishing the home keeper. Reuters

Conor Coady 6 – A tough evening for the skipper, who seemed to spend much of the game cleaning up the mess left by his fellow defenders. AP Photo

Jonny 4 – Played in a central role and couldn’t track De Bruyne’s movement. Was caught napping for City’s first, and was wasteful when in possession. EPA

Willy Boly 4 – Looked nervous, particularly when put under pressure by City’s forwards, and was guilty of being wasteful in possession. Struggled to contain City’s forwards. EPA

Chiquinho 8 – The wing-back impressed on his debut and was Wolves’ best player by far, causing City’s defenders problems with his aggressive approach. AFP

Leander Dendoncker 5 – Levelled the scores at 1-1 and might have had a second had he shot with Ederson off his line and out of position, rather than passing the ball. PA

Ruben Neves 5 – Hasn’t been the same since returning from injury, and was once again under par. Didn’t track his runners, just looked off the pace. Reuters

Joao Moutinho 5 – Had a tough evening trying to derail compatriot Silva, but was second best throughout with Wolves’ midfield overrun. Looked tired. AP Photo

Rayan Ait-Nouri 6 – Impressive in glimpses going forward, but poor defensively. He was at fault on one occasion, but fortunately for him De Bruyne struck the post. One of Wolves’ better performers. Reuters

Pedro Neto 5 – Supplied the cross to Dendoncker to equalise but was largely quiet. AFP

Raul Jimenez 5 – Was integral to Wolves’ equaliser after controlling the ball and playing a neat pass to Neto, but did little else. Action Images

SUBS: Hwang Hee-Chan (Jimenez, 72) N/A – Didn’t see much of the ball after coming on, but was guilty of losing possession when he did. Couldn’t get into the speed of the game. AP Photo

Francisco Trincao (Chiquinho, 72) N/A – Looked eager and busy when he came on but didn’t have many touches. Getty Images

Luke Cundle (Moutinho, 85) N/A – His fresh legs were welcome, and he’ll have loved getting some game time. AFP

MANCHESTER CITY RATINGS: Ederson 6 – Didn’t have much to do and could do little about the goal, but he did make a good save to deny Coady, though the Wolves defender was later adjudged offside. Was caught in no-man’s land later, but Dendoncker couldn’t punish. AP

Joao Cancelo 8 – Sold at the back but, as ever, but it was his forward runs and Hollywood passing around the Wolves box that caused the home side issues. Getty Images

Fernandinho 7 – Played well until substituted in the 76th minute, the old hand using his experience to keep Wolves at bay. His injury could be a concern this weekend. Getty Images

Aymeric Laporte 8 – His night was brought to an abrupt end when he suffered a knee injury. Until then, though, he had been superb, making two vital interventions. AP

Oleksandr Zinchenko 7 – Had his hands full attempting to keep Chiquinho quiet, but like Cancelo got forward when possible, and was involved in two of the goals. Getty

Rodri 6 – Looked more comfortable going forward than he did marshalling the space in front of his own defence. Action Images

Ilkay Gundogan 7 – Was the better of the two players in City’s double pivot, and controlled the game. Reuters

Raheem Sterling 7 – Scored City’s fifth but perhaps could and should have had five himself. Caused Wolves so many problems, but missed a hatful of chances. Reuters

Kevin De Bruyne 10 – Scored four goals, including a 24-minute hat-trick, came close to a fifth, and single handedly destroyed the home side. Absolutely scintillating, a masterclass. PA

Phil Foden 7 – Always involved, always teasing. Was involved in a lot of City’s attacks and on another day would probably have walked away with his name on the scoresheet. AFP

Bernardo Silva 8 – Was a threat all evening, finding pockets of space in attacking areas, and stretching the game with Wolves chasing the match in the second half. EPA

SUBS: Nathan Ake (Laporte, 61) 7 – Solid showing, and could be key given the injuries to Laporte and Fernandinho. AP Photo

Riyad Mahrez (Fernandinho, 77) N/A – Would have been frustrated not to get on earlier. Game was over when he came on. Reuters

Jack Grealish (Foden, 81) N/A – Showed glimpses of what he can do in his nine-minute cameo. Seems to be hitting his peak right at the season’s end. Getty Images

"He has played the last two or three months especially in the Premier League outstanding, and in the Champions League as well. He has been our key man in this part of the season," Guardiola said.

"It is not just what he creates and the goals and everything. He helps us a lot. I am happy because Kevin is so generous and always thinking the best for the team but this year is also the most prolific for him."

Such was De Bruyne's brilliance, Wolves coach Carlos Cachada admitted there was little his team could do to prevent a heavy defeat.

"When you have players like De Bruyne, who can always change the game, you can have a strategy but when it comes to players like this they can score four goals and finish the game," he said. "With that performance we can do nothing about it."

Haaland trains with Dortmund after Man City announce transfer

Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland during his team's training session in Dortmund on Tuesday, May 10, 2022. EPA

Erling Haaland trains with his team on the day Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund announced to have reached an agreement for his transfer to the Premier League. EPA

Dortmund's Erling Haaland trains with his teammates on Tuesday after Manchester City announced a deal had been agreed for his transfer. EPA

Dortmund's Erling Haaland, left, with Reinier, centre, and Jude Bellingham during training on Tuesday. EPA

Dortmund's Erling Haaland trains on Tuesday. EPA

Erling Haaland leaves Dortmund's training ground. EPA

Dortmund's manager Marco Rose talks to Erling Haaland during training. EPA