Alfie Haaland breaks silence on Man City verdict, insisting Erling remains focused on football

Alfie Haaland has insisted his son Erling is unaffected by the fallout from Manchester City’s financial charges case, telling Norwegian broadcaster ViaPlay that the striker’s attention remains fixed on football rather than the off-field controversy engulfing the club.

The statement comes after an independent commission last month found City guilty of 114 of the 115 financial charges brought against them, covering nine seasons between 2009/10 and 2017/18. The tribunal concluded that the club had artificially inflated their revenue by £900 million during that period, with funds allegedly channelled through sham sponsorship agreements to conceal their true origins. City have since lodged a formal appeal.

“Erling thinks about playing as much football as he can and concentrates on that,” Alfie said. “I think it’s more those of us outside the pitch who think a bit more about it.”

The former Leeds United midfielder acknowledged the gravity of the findings but urged patience while the appeal process runs its course. “Well, it has been circulating for quite a while, hasn’t it? So finally something came that was concrete, which it is possible to fight against for City as a club. Obviously, these are serious allegations, but now there is an appeal case pending to be heard, so I think we have to stay calm, keep our cool, and wait to see how it turns out.”

Speculation over potential sanctions has intensified since the verdict, with reported possibilities including a significant points deduction, a substantial financial penalty, and the stripping of Premier League titles won during the period under scrutiny.

Alfie also raised the question of fairness to players who were not at the club when the alleged breaches occurred. “Yes, in a way, one might feel that having to potentially take punishment for something done many years ago… yes, I would say so,” he admitted.

On the field, Erling Haaland has shown no visible signs of distraction, having scored nine goals in nine Premier League appearances so far this season. When asked whether he had any inside knowledge of the case beyond what has been reported, Alfie was candid: “Nothing more than what’s in the media. And there is an awful lot written there.”

The appeal is expected to be one of the most consequential legal proceedings in English football history, with its outcome carrying major implications for City’s standing in the Premier League era.