Erling Haaland is content at Manchester City despite rumors linking him to Real Madrid as they prepare for the UEFA Champions League last 16.

Erling Haaland, the prolific striker for Manchester City, has dismissed rumors of a potential move to Real Madrid, affirming his contentment at the Etihad Stadium. Haaland, who had an outstanding debut season with the Blues, scoring 52 goals and contributing to their historic treble, has continued his impressive form this year despite a period of injury. With 28 goals to his name, the Norwegian is determined to help City replicate their success from last season.

Speculation has arisen that Madrid may attempt to lure Haaland away from Manchester, either in the upcoming summer transfer window or the following year. However, the 22-year-old remained tight-lipped about his future during a press conference ahead of City’s Champions League clash with FC Copenhagen.

“I am really happy,” Haaland stated. “Especially with the people that I am surrounded with: the manager, the directors, the board. I am really happy. If I say this now it will probably be a massive headline: you never know what the future brings but I am happy.”

When questioned about the possibility of extending his contract with the club, Haaland preferred to focus on the upcoming matches. “I focus on the pitch, there is a lot of games. I think I should focus on that,” he replied.

Pep Guardiola, City’s manager, who was present at the press conference, praised Haaland’s impact since joining the club and expressed his delight at how quickly the striker settled in after his move from Borussia Dortmund. Guardiola highlighted Haaland’s character as one of his most impressive qualities on the pitch, noting that the biggest stars tend to be the most humble.

City currently hold a 3-1 advantage from the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie against FC Copenhagen. As they aim to defend the trophy they won for the first time last season, Haaland emphasized that there would be no complacency in their approach to the competition this year. He sent a message to the other teams in the tournament, expressing his hunger for more Champions League glory.

“You can think about it in two ways,” Haaland explained. “One thing, I came here and won it. The other thing, I am 23, I have a taste of winning. When I feel this, I want to win it again.”

The match between Manchester City and FC Copenhagen can be watched live on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate, with coverage starting at 19:00 UK time on Wednesday, March 6. TNT Sports is available on various TV platforms, and subscriptions can be obtained through discovery+, BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media. To locate local establishments showing TNT Sports, fans can use the Pub Finder tool.