‘Buy of the century’ - BT Sport pundit backs Erling Haaland to impress when Man City face Dortmund

Glenn Hoddle has claimed Erling Haaland is the ‘buy of the century’ and says he will be ‘loving’ the Champions League group-stage draw that will see the Manchester City striker come up against former side Borussia Dortmund.

City and Dortmund will be joined in Group G by Sevilla and Copenhagen, and the Premier League champions should fancy their chances of progressing to the knockout stages.

But for Haaland, it offers an immediate return to the Bundesliga club, whom he left in the summer to sign for City.

Speaking after the draw on BT Sport, Hoddle said: “He’ll be loving that draw, he’ll be champing at the bit to go there and do what he’s doing.

“He has got everything this lad; there’s not one part of his game you’re questioning. What is he, 22? He’s going to get better and better. For £51m, that is the buy of the century.”

“[There are] sentimental elements to that [draw],” former City defender Joleen Lescott added. “But looking at him [Haaland], and having met him briefly, I’m sure he’ll be determined to go there and score goals and win the games.

“In terms of competition and what that’ll bring about the tie, they worked well together, Haaland and Dortmund.”

What to expect from Sevilla

Typically, the side drawn from Pot 2 should offer the biggest threat to the top-ranked club in the group.

But for City, Dortmund, who were in Pot 3, feels like a much tricker test than the Spanish outfit, who are the second ranked team in the group.

Steve McManaman, who was also working as a pundit for BT, claimed Pep Guardiola won’t ‘have anything to worry about.’

[“They’re] not in great shape,” claimed the ex-City and Liverpool midfielder. “They sold Jules Kounde to Barcelona and Diego Carlos has gone to Aston Villa, unfortunately had a terrible injury.

“They’ve not replaced them really, they’ve just brought people up. They brought a few players in but they’ve started La Liga very slowly.

“I don’t think Manchester City have anything to worry about. Let’s see if they bring any players in, in this last week [of the transfer window]. But starting La Liga, they have really struggled.”