Phil Foden backs 'scary' Erling Haaland to deliver goals for Manchester City

Phil Foden has described new teammate Erling Haaland's prowess in front of goal as “scary” and predicted the big striker will be a huge success for Manchester City.

Haaland, 22, moved to the Premier League champions from German side Borussia Dortmund this summer after City triggered the striker's £51 million ($63m) release clause.

The Norwegian scored 86 goals in 89 games for Dortmund and already has 20 strikes in 21 appearances for his country.

His arrival also brought an end to City's hunt to replace their all-time top scorer Sergio Aguero after the Argentine striker moved to Barcelona on a free transfer last year.

Haaland, who has signed a five-year contract with City, showed a glimpse of his goalscoring prowess with a poacher's finish in a 1-0 pre-season win over Bayern Munich earlier this week, just 12 minutes into his debut.

And City attacker Foden has already been impressed with what he has seen so far.

“He's a great addition to the team, makes everyone laugh and is humble which is important when you come to a team,” Foden told Sky Sports, apeaking ahead of Saturday's Community Shield clash with Liverpool. “He's hungry to achieve things with us which can only mean good things.

“In front of goal he's scary. He's coming to a complete different league [with] much faster football, so it might take him a little [time] to get used to, but I'm sure when he's in his flow he's going to be unstoppable.

“He is very similar to Aguero, Haaland's got all types of finishes as well. If we can get him the ball in the right areas he is going to be really important for us this year.”

Manchester City salaries 2022/23

The need to give Haaland time to adapt was a point manager Guardiola made after the Bayern win. “He scored a goal which is important, these type of goals in front of keeper – always he’s there,” said the Spaniard.

“The first minutes, he needs more rhythm and time but already he had 45 minutes which is good for him. We’ll see how he reacts to the niggles that he had in the previous weeks.

“After we come back we have long weeks to prepare every weekend game. In those two or three weeks we will get the best form.”

Having failed to prise Harry Kane from Tottenham's clutches 12 months ago, Guardiola will be hoping Haaland can emulate his prolific form at Dortmund in the more demanding Premier League.

“As you probably all know, I've been watching a lot of City games for the last years,” Haaland said.

“The last years [they] have been without a striker, so of course I've been seeing myself in these kind of situations. I'm not surprised. The quality is good.”

Gallery: City beat Bayern in pre-season friendly

On Women's Day

Dr Nawal Al-Hosany: Why more women should be on the frontlines of climate action

Shelina Janmohamed: Why shouldn't a spouse be compensated fairly for housework?

Samar Elmnhrawy: How companies in the Middle East can catch up on gender equality

The National Editorial: Is there much to celebrate on International Women's Day 2021?

UK's plans to cut net migration

Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.

Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.

But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.

Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.

Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.

The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

While you're here

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Sholto Byrnes: It is indeed Asia’s century and the western world better adapt to that

Company profile

Company: Rent Your Wardrobe

Date started: May 2021

Founder: Mamta Arora

Based: Dubai

Sector: Clothes rental subscription

Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded

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