Man City striker ‘recharged’ for 2024/25 season

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has said he is “fully recharged” ahead of his attempt to win the Premier League golden boot for a third consecutive season when the 2024/25 season starts in August.

Haaland performed the lotus pose, which he has used to celebrate goals and is more readily associated with yoga and meditation, while sitting half-naked in a river and sharing the message on social media.

The 23-year-old was linked with a move to Real Madrid midway through last season, when his 27 top-flight goals helped City retain the title.

Man City 2024/25: Haaland targets goals

Haaland’s Premier League total was nine goals short of his tally in his preceding debut campaign, failing to score in three of City’s final four games.

One of those was their surprise FA Cup final defeat to Manchester United, when Haaland, who also missed nine games in all competitions through injury, had a quiet match.

City start their season against United in the Community Shield on August 10 and travel to Chelsea eight days later for their Premier League opener.

Haaland has not joined many of his City team-mates at Uefa Euro 2024 because Norway failed to reach the finals from a tough qualifying group.

Single-goal home defeats to Spain and Scotland, who both reached the finals, led to Norway missing out on a place in Germany and ensured Haaland would have more time to rest than some of the best players in Europe this summer.

Euro 2024: Haaland ‘feels responsibility’

“I delivered for the national team and we were close,” Haaland told TV2 in June. “It’s crazy. We should have been [there] but we are not. It’s about the last little bit… it was close, but not close enough. In the end, that is what decides it.

“When you’re not good enough there, you don’t go to the championship. Then you won’t win things. It applies at all different levels. The answer is that simple.

“Of course, I feel a great responsibility for that. I have felt that for a long time. It is a large part of my responsibility that Norway reaches a championship, as I know.

“We have a great future. I’ve been saying that for a long time. The future is big and bright, and we can hope this generation manages to do something.”

Norway’s last participation in a major tournament was their only Euro appearance, exiting after the group stage of the 2000 finals.