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ERLING HAALAND HUMBLY SAYS MESSI, RONALDO REMAIN OUT OF REACH

Erling Haaland humbly dismisses comparisons to Messi & Ronaldo, saying "no one" can match their records. The Man City star instead focuses on team success and his ultimate career goal: qualifying for a major tournament with Norway.

Erling Haaland humbly says Messi, Ronaldo remain out of reach
Haaland compares himself honestly to Messi, Ronald - Photo Credit: Getty Images

Claiming that "no one" will ever surpass Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's goalscoring records, Erling Haaland has downplayed parallels between himself and the modern football greats.

By early November, the 25-year-old has scored 26 goals for Manchester City and Norway across all competitions, bringing his career total to 327.

However, Haaland lags well below the renowned pair's accomplishments.

The 40-year-old Portuguese superstar Ronaldo is on 952 goals as he approaches 1,000 in his storied career, while 38-year-old Argentina legend Messi has 892 goals overall.

"No, not at all," Haaland said when asked if he thought he was on par with the illustrious combination. I am a long way off. No, no one can approach those two.

The City attacker had his best season to date in 2022–2023 with 56 goals, his first at the club after arriving from Borussia Dortmund.

However, if Haaland keeps up his current scoring pace as he gets ready to play his old team in their Champions League match on Wednesday at 20:00 GMT, he is on track to surpass that enormous sum.

He is getting close to being the fastest player to reach a century of English top-flight goals, with 98 goals in 107 Premier League outings thus far.

Alan Shearer, the former captain of England, set that record at 124 games and now holds the top spot in the league charts with 260.

Haaland has a "great opportunity" of breaking the record, according to Shearer, who previously played for Southampton, Blackburn, and Newcastle.

Haaland said, however, when asked if he will beat his own record this term: "Which record? Not to come across as cocky!

"In the 2022–2023 season, I had 57 overall, including with the national team. I am doing well, but I do not consider this.

"I know Shearer's Premier League record, but I do not really know any others. Once more, I am incapable of thinking about it.

"I strive to assist the team in winning football games, and I am not thinking about breaking records. That is my primary emphasis and my work.

"You want me to say the exact opposite, but that is not how things are. I realise it is dull. I must disregard them.

In just 51 Champions League games, Haaland has scored 53 goals, making him the player who has reached the half-century mark the quickest.

In his debut season with City, he helped the team win the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League, and he also won Europe's top club championship.

He went on to say, "I am the same guy from as long as I can remember." "Not much has altered. Even though I have more life experience, I am still that child from Bryne in some circumstances.

"I am a Norwegian man, so just because I am scoring goals does not mean I am something. This will always be the case, and I am just Erling."

In addition, Haaland is poised to assist Norway in winning their first World Cup since 1998—"two years before I was born," he stated.

"My objective is to lead Norway to a World Cup and Euros," he continued. "I have been saying this for a long time."

"It is about taking the opportunities because this is my career's main aim and I have a strong chance of achieving it today."

And when Haaland declared that he was "absolutely" improving as a striker, it was a dire message to opposing defenders.

Adding, "I am developing good," "My health is good, I am taking good care of myself, and I am growing well."

PEP GUARDIOLA DISMISSES EXIT RUMORS: “I AM HAPPY” WITH 18 MONTHS LEFT AT MAN CITY

Pep Guardiola breaks silence on his Man City future, calling replacement rumours "speculation" while Maresca pledges stay at Chelsea.

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Guardiola "happy" at Man City

Pep Guardiola said he’s “happy” at Manchester City. He also told fans that the rumours about him leaving pop up every year.

David Ornstein from The Athletic wrote that some people at the club think this might be Guardiola’s last season. They're even thinking about Enzo Maresca from Chelsea as a possible replacement.

Guardiola, who's 54, has been managing in the Premier League longer than anyone else right now. He signed a new two-year deal last season that keeps him with City until 2027, which would be his 11th season there.

Last year, City didn't win any big trophies, which is pretty unusual under Guardiola, who has led them to six Premier League titles. But this year, they look like they could win the Premier League and Champions League again.

Guardiola said he has 18 months left on his contract, so he's not planning on leaving soon. He said there are “no talks” about his future right now.

People have been asking me about this for the last few years,” Guardiola said. “At some point, maybe when I'm 75 or 76, I'll leave Manchester City. I get why people ask when my contract is almost up, but I still have 18 months left.

“I’m very happy with how the team is doing. But people ask this question every season.

I'm doing fine. The club and I are on the same page when it comes to making decisions, so whatever happens will happen.

“We aren't talking about it. That's it. "I won't be here forever," I said that a while ago. Nobody is here forever.

“But we aren't having discussions. Whatever will be, will be. Of course, the club needs to be ready for anything, just like with players and the CEO.

The owners are the only exception, unless they decide to sell the club, which I don't think will happen. Everyone else needs to be prepared. But we aren't talking about that right now.”

When someone asked Guardiola if he could promise he'd still be managing Manchester City next season, he replied, "I already answered that. I'm here. Who knows what will happen?

“Even if I had a 10-year contract, things change quickly in football. Right now, I’m thinking about West Ham and spending time with my dad. Then I'll be back for the games against Nottingham Forest, Sunderland, Chelsea, Brighton, and everything else that's coming up.”

Earlier on Friday, Chelsea's manager, Maresca, said that the reports about him replacing Guardiola were “just rumours.” He has a contract with Chelsea until 2029 and used to be one of Guardiola’s assistants at City.

“I’ve said it many times, I’m only focused on this club, and I’m happy to be here,” Maresca said. “It’s just rumours. A week ago, the same thing was happening in Italy with Juventus. I don’t worry about it because I know it’s not true.

“It’s just speculation. I don’t care at all. I’m focused on the game against Newcastle. It’s an important and difficult game.”

PEP GUARDIOLA TARGETS ANTOINE SEMENYO AS MANCHESTER CITY OPEN JANUARY TRANSFER WINDOW TALKS

Manchester City have opened talks with Antoine Semenyo. Pep Guardiola looks to trigger the winger's £65m January release clause.

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Man City Hold Direct Talks for Semenyo

Word on the street is that Manchester City is chatting with Bournemouth's winger, Antoine Semenyo, says sources.

City's just one of a bunch of big Premier League teams looking to trigger Semenyo's exit clause, which is somewhere between £60 million and £65 million.

Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham are also seriously trying to make January deals for the Ghana player.

talkSPORT says that Arsenal might jump in if they get rid of a winger next month, but they're not expecting a busy transfer period.

City's got a head start on other teams by beginning talks with Semenyo two weeks before the winter window even opens.

Their manager, Pep Guardiola, is currently missing wingers Jeremy Doku and Oscar Bobb because they're injured, and Omar Marmoush is playing for Egypt in the AFCON.

Semenyo will be around all winter since Ghana didn't make it to AFCON.

This season, the 25-year-old is tied for the third-highest scorer in the Premier League, with seven goals in 15 games.

He signed a new five-year contract with Bournemouth earlier this year. Even with all the rumours, he's said to be cool about what's next.

Semenyo just scored again in that wild 4-4 game against Manchester United, after not scoring for eight games.

Bournemouth’s manager, Andoni Iraola, has had to dodge questions all season about what's happening with Semenyo.

Back in November, he said, Antoine is our player, and he's staying our player. Ask me about the market in January, not now; I’m not sweating it.

I hate talking about this stuff in August or January—when the market’s open. November, though, is no time for these discussions.

I care more about the guys who are playing tomorrow, the short-term stuff; that’s what matters. We'll talk about the rest in January.

talkSPORT says: 

Semenyo's going to be a hot topic, at least for the first part of January.

We broke the story that he's got an exit clause in his contract that kicks in during the January window.

There's a deadline, around the middle of the month, for clubs to use it.

Liverpool's interested. Richard Hughes, their sporting director, is the one who brought Semenyo to Bournemouth from Bristol City.

Manchester United's definitely in the running, too, along with Tottenham—though I'd say Tottenham's a long shot right now.

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