Erling. Welcome to Manchester City.
This feels like a very significant moment in your career, given your age and stage.
And I'm sure you had plenty of options from other very, very good clubs.
So why Manchester City?
First of all, my father, a little bit.
And I was born in England.
I've been a City fan my whole life.
I know a lot about the club.
And I think in the end, two things.
I feel a bit home here, and
also I think I can develop
and get the best out of my game and City.
So you've probably watched plenty of our games
this season and in previous seasons.
What do you think of our style of play and do you think we're a good fit for you?
Yeah, of course.
If not, I wouldn't come here.
So, yeah, it's.
I like the style.
I like the attacking football.
I like the,
the kind of positive vibe we have
when City play football.
This is what I like a lot.
Yeah, I think it's a really good fit.
When you've been watching our games this season, have you been
imagining yourself in the team and in certain positions?
Yes, I have done that!
It's going to be good.
We think Pep is the world's best coach.
Your goal record suggests that you're the world's best young striker.
Does that feel like a perfect match?
You and the manager?
Yeah, as I said, I think I can develop a lot under Pep.
And in this club. So.
So I think I can
get better on
a lot of things and hopefully I can score a lot of goals.
Have you managed to speak to Pep yet and what's he said to you?
What is he looking for from you?
Yeah, I've spoken a little bit with him, and we both look forward to
to work together.
You've got this remarkable goal scoring record.
You've scored 135 goals in 183 professional matches.
Youngest player ever to hit 50 Bundesliga goals.
What do you put that down to?
Is it mentality, positional strength, physicality?
What is it?
Yeah, I think it's a good mix between a lot of things.
I think
first of all, it's
my joy to play football, to try to enjoy every single moment
and when I enjoy it, I win football games and I score goals.
So, yeah, I always want to have fun,
and yeah, I think it's a good mix
between a lot of things.
You seem to like the big stage as well
because your Champions League record is also phenomenal.
You reached 20 goals in that competition in just 14 games, which is a record.
Why is that?
What is it about that competition and those big nights that make you come alive?
Yeah, I always liked the Champions League.
So, that's a bit why.
It's a bit more special in my eyes.
And,
yeah, I, I like it.
Is it true that the Champions League anthem was your ringtone for a while?
Yeah, it still is!
So you've been to the Etihad of course, before you played with
Dortmund in 2021, and there was a video of you and Jude Bellingham walking
out onto the pitch, and you just turned to Jude and said, it’s beautiful.
I mean, what was your experience of playing at the Etihad like?
Yeah, first of all, I've been there a couple of times before,
watching games, and, yeah, I like it.
It's beautiful. I like the colour.
And also I played there, big, huge stadium,
and I'm looking forward to play there.
We saw after that game as well, you were talking to Phil Foden.
Again, Phil is a player that we, you know, we rate very highly.
We think he could possibly, go on to be the club's greatest ever player.
I mean, have you watched much of him?
And what's your assessment of him as a footballer?
Yeah,
as I said, I've been
watching a lot of the City games for the last...as long as I can remember.
So of course, then I also watched Phil and he’s amazing amazing player so talented
because he's still young, but he's an amazing player.
And he still has to develop.
And then he can
then we can really talk.
What about Riyad Mahrez?
Because I believe you bumped into him last summer.
Did he say some good things about City?
Yeah, he told me to come to City,
so he was right about that.
He talks, he said some good things about the club.
And your dad, of course, captained City at the turn of the millennium.
You mentioned briefly before, but what kind of role has he played
in selling the club
to you and helping you make this decision?
Yeah, of course.
He lived in England.
He played for the club.
Of course, a lot of things has changed in the last 20 years.
But, yeah, he lived here, so he knows, he knows what it is.
And we've just been speaking about
basically how it is.
What's the best for me?
What's this?
What's that? And to try to find out everything.
And he's been a good, he's been a good dad in that thing there.
Did he ever take you to Maine Road?
You were probably too young to remember it, but, do you know if he ever took you?
Yeah, I’ve been to, I've been to a lot of games, I don't remember, but I was on
a lot of games with my, with my mum, sister and brother watching for my father.
You obviously have outstanding ability but you're also a very hard worker.
Gunnar Halle, the former Leeds United and Norway youth coach.
He said you are somebody who will practice, practice, practice.
Do you ever get annoyed when you see other players maybe who are talented
but don't put the work in that you do to try and reach the top?
I don't get annoyed, but I,
I remember when I was young,
there was a lot of good players around me that had huge potential.
But there was so many talents that goes to waste
because they don't have it or they don't want
or they think this is the right thing or whatever.
So yes, of course, I think it's really important to,
to train a lot, but also to train right.
And to do the right things and to practice on the right things.
I think that's a really, really important thing.
To become good.
And football isn't the only thing that you excel at.
I think.
I believe in 2006, you set the record for the longest
standing long jump by a five year old.
Is that true?
Yeah!
That's true.
I don't remember it, but I remember I went on
I don't know what it's called, the,
track and field or whatever and jumping
and so these kind of things and because my mother did it
in young age and so she always brought me, so then there was running.
And I think that's also where I have a bit of my speed from and
my jumping and everything and yeah, it's true.
I have the, I have the record.
And you had a very brief rap career as well.
Is that true?
That's true, yeah.
Tell us about Flow Kingz.
Yeah, it's a group of, it’s group of three.
One guy, is out of contract now.
He was in Krasnodar, but he terminated. Erik Botheim and Erik Tobias as well.
He plays in Norway.
We are three good friends that,
that was
a bit bored, so we decided to make, a rap song.
So what are your plans now for the rest of the summer?
You're obviously going to try and get some rest,
- Come back and play in America. - Yeah!
Rest the head, body, everything,
and then get ready for a new season.
You must be incredibly excited. Anyway, thank you very much.
Erling, I want to say on behalf of all Manchester City fans,
Good luck during your time here.
Thank you.