Pep Guardiola Reacts to Erling Haaland's Contract Extension

Pep Guardiola has welcomed Erling Haaland's new contract extension, praising the Norwegian striker's commitment to Manchester City, while also hailing the progress of Ipswich striker Liam Delap.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed his delight over Erling Haaland's new long-term deal, describing it as “exceptional” news for the club. Guardiola, speaking at a press conference ahead of their clash with Ipswich Town, also provided an update on Haaland's fitness, stating that he would “have to see” if the Norwegian international is fit enough for Sunday's game.

Guardiola praised Haaland's commitment to the club, highlighting the player's desire to show his dedication to Manchester City. “He wants to show how much he wants to be here otherwise all the players sign one or two-year contracts. In 10 years, many things can happen but it’s proof of trust between him and the club,” Guardiola said. He also emphasized the importance of trust between Haaland and the club, adding: “You never know what may happen in the next years but the club know how professional he is every day to show his talent. It was what he wanted and that is down to the trust of the club.”

Guardiola believes that Haaland is making him a “better manager” and is eager to see the player continue to grow and improve. “Of course he can improve. We all can. The club and the team have to create an environment and moments when he can be unstoppable. That is when he is at his best,” Guardiola said. He also emphasized the importance of Haaland's maturity and game experience in his development as a player. “More than anything it is about understanding the game, during the game and what decisions he has to make. He is still young and with maturity of playing games and games it will happen naturally.”

Pep Guardiola believes that Erling Haaland's new contract extension has given him a great opportunity to break more Premier League records. With Haaland's impressive goalscoring record, Guardiola is confident that he can achieve even more. “If he continues with the numbers since he arrived, then yes. It will depend on the team and him, but it is exceptional news for the club,” Guardiola said.

PEP 💬 [On Erling Haaland contract extension] It's exceptional news for the Club. If one player decides to sign this type of contract it’s because he wants to show how he wants to be here... It's the trust of the Club to Erling [Haaland]. The Club knows perfectly how professional… pic.twitter.com/IG8IOhNQ8b

— Manchester City (@ManCity) January 17, 2025

Guardiola also addressed speculation about Haaland's commitment to the club, confirming that the 24-year-old is fully invested in Manchester City's project. Despite links to other European clubs, Guardiola stated that Haaland loves being at the club and is motivated to continue performing at a high level. When asked what might motivate Haaland now that he has signed a new contract, Guardiola replied: “I don’t know I’ve not asked him. Maybe winning the next game and motivation to score goals. I don’t have a feeling that he is going to say 'I’ll take a nap' now that he has this contract. He is a huge competitor.” Guardiola also highlighted Haaland's affection for the club, the Premier League, and his life in England. “He loves the club and the people he is around. He loves the Premier League and living here with his family. He must feel there is no better place for him to be in the next 10 years.”

PEP 💬 After [Erling Haaland signed his contract] we congratulated each other. He's making me a better manager, better staff that’s for sure. He's helping me. pic.twitter.com/C4NyMzwG7m

— Manchester City (@ManCity) January 17, 2025

Pep Guardiola expressed his admiration for Ipswich striker Liam Delap, who has developed well after breaking through the academy. “He is doing really well. So many players have come from this academy. We thought he was a typical striker for the Premier League and he is doing really well. We are happy for him,” Guardiola said. Delap's progress is a testament to the academy's ability to produce talented players, and Guardiola is pleased to see him thriving.

Regarding the team's fitness issues, Guardiola adopted a cautious approach, stating that he will have to wait and see who is ready to face Ipswich this weekend. “We will see. Yesterday, we were off and now we are going to train so we will see. Some players finished with some problems like every game so we will see,” Guardiola said. The Spaniard will assess his players' fitness during training before making a decision on the team's lineup for the upcoming match.