Man City: Guardiola ‘approves’ £17m transfer for ‘Haaland backup’ with ‘offer’ confirmed

Premier League champions Manchester City have reportedly found another potential Nordic goalbot to provide cover for Erling Haaland.

Man City recently sold Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid for £64million – the most expensive transfer of the 2024 summer transfer window .

The sale of Alvarez has left Pep Guardiola short of options up front, with an injury or suspension to Haaland likely to see the Spanish manager move back to his false-nine days.

Phil Foden would be the most likely candidate to fulfil that role, though City are reportedly in the market for a new striker to be Haaland’s backup.

Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi was surprisingly linked with the Citizens last week but there is not much happening there.

The most recent forward player to be linked with a move to the Etihad is Copenhagen starlet Orri Oskarsson – who played against City in the Champions League earlier this year.

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Valued at €5million (£4.2m) by Transfermarkt, Oskarsson, 19, has seven goals in 11 already this season as Copenhagen attempt to qualify for the Europa Conference League league phase.

The Danish side overcame Kilmarnock in their play-off first leg and travel to Rugby Park this week.

Iceland international Oskarsson moved to Denmark from Grotta FC in September 2020 and spent the second half of 2022/23 on loan at Sonderjyske, who were promoted to the Danish Superliga last term.

Oskarsson is one of the best young players to come out of Scandinavia and there are high hopes for him, emphasised by Man City’s reported interest.

Man City identify potential ‘Haaland backup’

First reported by David Ornstein on Sunday evening, it is believed that the Premier League giants ‘have considered a move to sign Oskarsson as backup to Haaland’.

Ornstein, writing for The Athletic , states that City are ‘unlikely to pursue a deal’ at this moment in time but ‘are firm admirers’, with the teenager ‘set to depart Copenhagen before the summer transfer window closes’.

It is claimed that he is ‘attracting a host of suitors’ and a £16.9m plus add-ons transfer is ‘anticipated’.

‘High on the list’ of Guardiola’s summer targets, Oskarsson and the aforementioned Kyogo have both been considered.

Ornstein says ‘City are not expected to advance their interest for the time being’, though there is interest coming from other Premier League clubs, with FC Porto and Real Sociedad also keen.

Guardiola and the City hierarchy are apparently ‘happy’ with their attacking options and ‘will only recruit if the right opportunity arises’.

It is added elsewhere that ‘Guardiola would like a replacement for Alvarez’ with City ‘seriously considering’ signing Oskarsson from Copenhagen.

CaughtOffside states that the Premier League champions ‘have had scouts watch several of Oskarsson’s matches and were highly impressed by the 19-year-old’s talent’.

Despite what Ornstein says, this report claims that Guardiola ‘has already given his approval for the transfer as the Spanish coach would like support for Haaland’.

Again, it is stated that Copenhagen are looking for around £16.9m for their young talent, which City ‘would have no problem paying’.

Real Sociedad get a mention in Ornstein’s report and it is claimed here that Copenhagen ‘have received an offer from an unnamed Spanish club’.

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