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Erling Haaland and Pep Guardiola disagree over dream Arsenal signing

Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard of Arsenal look dejected following the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Everton FC at Emirates Stadium on May 19, 2024 in London, England.
-Credit: (Image: Julian Finney/Getty Images)


Pep Guardiola and Erling Haaland have different opinions when it comes to which Arsenal star every other team in the division would want.

Guardiola has insisted that all of the north London club's rivals – Manchester City among them – would like to have Declan Rice in their team. However, City striker Erling Haaland is of the opinion that his side would appreciate a different Arsenal playmaker - his Norwegian team-mate Martin Odegaard.

City have been in a title battle with Arsenal over the last few years, with the Manchester side consistently edging out Mikel Arteta's team each time.

Many fans and pundits have shared their combined starting XIs for the two teams - but City boss Guardiola has admitted that he'd have signed Rice if he wanted to come to the Etihad. The England international was subject of a bid from the Citizens but opted to move across London instead.

After the English midfielder swapped West Ham for Arsenal, Guardiola said: "Sometimes here we have many players we wanted and they didn’t decide to join us.

"He's not the first one who we wanted who didn't join us. We have a long list. Basically, they don't want to come or the price or whatever, so it could not happen. He made his decision, a good one, and good luck. All the teams in the Premier League would have signed Declan Rice.

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"He's an international captain for the national team of England and a young player playing a lot of games regularly. That's why Arsenal pushed the way they pushed."

On the other hand, Haaland would opt for another Arsenal playmaker to join City, so he could join up with international team-mate Odegaard. Both Haaland and Odegaard represent Norway and have played together internationally for a few years now.

Due to their partnership for their country, and consistent rivalry in the Premier League, Haaland admitted that the 25-year-old would improve Guardiola's squad.

The 24-year-old said: "Yes, I think so. There's a good player, and a player that plays for our rivals. He's just signed a new contract, so it's not a topic, but at City we have a lot of best players in the world."

Erling Haaland of Manchester City and Declan Rice of Arsenal FC during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal FC at Etihad Stadium on March 31, 2024 in Manchester, England.
Guardiola admitted that he'd have Declan Rice in his City team -Credit:Danehouse Photography Ltd/Getty Images

Unfortunately for Guardiola and Haaland, both Rice and Odegaard are on long-term contracts at the Emirates. Rice signed a five-year deal worth £105m in 2023, meaning he is tied down to the Gunners until 2028.

Meanwhile, club captain Odegaard signed a new, long-term deal in 2023 after already spending four seasons at the club - keeping him at Arsenal until 2028. However, the 25-year-old is set for a spell on the sidelines after damaging his ankle ligaments in an international friendly against Austria in September.