City pipped Madrid to the signing of the Norway international in the summer of 2022, with the Leeds-born forward going on to score 52 goals last term as Guardiola’s side won a historic treble.
Despite having spent the past two months on the treatment table with a stress fracture in his foot, Haaland still tops the Premier League scoring charts this season with 14 goals so far and is expected to return to Guardiola’s starting line-up against Brentford on Monday evening.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola gives instructions to striker Erling Haaland (Image credit: Getty Images)
Recent reports in the Spanish press have suggested that the 23-year-old is not happy living in Manchester, despite being happy playing for Guardiola’s all-conquering team.
Madrid are likely to want their usual blockbuster signing this summer, with soon-to-be out-of-contract Kylian Mbappe linked alongside Haaland.
The issue of Haaland and these reports from Spain was put to Guardiola in his pre-Brentford press conference on Friday afternoon, with the former Barcelona boss insisting his player is happy at the club.
"You have to ask the media from Madrid, maybe they have more info' than we have," he told journalists. "We don't have that feeling.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
"He could not play for two months because he was injured but maybe the media from Spain, and especially Madrid, have more information than us. We cannot say he didn't adapt quickly and he was not fine since he arrived.
"It's the level he showed since he arrived on day one. We cannot control what people say. When he's unhappy, he will take his decision."
For more than a decade Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor, with stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others. He is the author of four football history books that include tomes on Leeds United and the England national team.
