Erling Haaland is trying to set the tone for Manchester City's next phase. Pep Guardiola is leaving after a 10-year reign that brought the club 20 major trophies, and Haaland's message is that the standards do not change because the manager does. City lifted the FA Cup and Carabao Cup but narrowly missed the league title this season, and the striker's line was plain enough: keep pushing, keep fighting, keep targeting the biggest prizes.

Why Haaland's message matters now

"It's been an up and down season. But again, we're going to try to keep pushing. We're going to try to keep fighting to win the biggest trophies that we can win. Because that's what we all want to win," Haaland told goal.com.

That is not just a polite farewell quote. It fits a season in which City finished second in the Premier League with 78 points, backed up by 23 wins and 9 draws, while scoring 76 league goals. The output was still strong enough to look like a title side, even if the trophy count did not land where City wanted.

Haaland's own numbers underline why he can speak with some authority here. He scored 26 Premier League goals in 35 appearances, and 38 goals across all competitions. That is the level City still have on the pitch, whatever happens on the touchline.

The farewell is part tribute, part warning

Haaland also made a point of naming the people leaving around him. He said it has been a pleasure to play four seasons with Bernardo Silva and John Stones, and added that both are amazing footballers and even better people deep down.

"Pep as well, it has been an amazing journey. We all should be really happy and proud for everyone because it has been an amazing journey. I know it's going to be tough without them, but we need to keep pushing. We need to keep fighting without them. Now it's time to celebrate them," he said.

That is the right balance from a senior player. It acknowledges the end of Guardiola's spell without turning the summer into a panic story. It also avoids pretending City are starting from zero. They are not. They have just gone two consecutive seasons without the Premier League title, so the next step is about proving the culture survives the change.

Haaland's point is simple, and probably the sensible one. City have already shown they can win under Guardiola, and the job now is to show that the demand for the biggest trophies does not leave with him.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →