I spent the summer learning from Erling Haaland - now I want to spearhead Manchester City’s attack

When it comes to footballing educations, there aren’t many better places than Manchester City.

The club’s track record of producing youth talent speaks for itself, as do the repeated titles and trophies hoovered up at underage level. The coaches, the facilities, the footbaling principles - City has left an indelible mark on dozens of players across the English pyramid.

But few really get up close and personal with Pep Guardiola’s squad and gain a real insight into what makes both the players and manager so special. It’s why this summer will be one Justin Oboavwoduo will never forget.

The 18-year-old protegee spent just shy of three weeks in the USA as part of the club’s pre-season tour, playing cards with Kalvin Phillips, going to Universal Studios with Ederson, and watching Guardiola undertake viral social media challenges. But it was learning from Erling Haaland that had the biggest impact.

“Obviously I want to learn from all the attacking players because they are similar to me,” the boyhood City fan told ManchesterWorld in a recent interview. “I look at Erling, how he moves in the box. He's a really good player to be able to see his movements and take ideas from.

“You obviously pick up on the analysis that the manager does for his movements, how they look to find him and how he occupies the centre-halves to help create space for others. Sometimes he's not too involved, but it's for the benefit of the team.”

Seeing is one thing, but how can Oboavwoduo apply those lessons to his own game?

“Sometimes I get frustrated when I don't get the ball, but if I get the ball in dangerous areas it's better. When I speak to him [Haaland], that's what his trade-offs are. He wants to get the ball in areas where he can score where he can hurt the opposition. 

“The analysis work on that, how he trains and how every finish is important to him. He always wants to hit the back of the net and every action is focused.”

It’s not just on the pitch that City’s youngsters are learning from the world’s best stars, but also away from the action. Haaland’s preparations are meticulous, even down to his blue-light glasses that help block out harmful light and improve sleep.

“I thought it was a myth,” Oboavwoduo admitted. “I saw him in the evening wearing the glasses - it’s just the little things to make you sleep right, recover right, taking supplements to help them train and perform at the highest level. It's the one or two percent that help you get to maximum performance.” 

‘There could be a real career for me’

After flitting between the senior team and various youth groups, Oboavwoduo is now seen as one of the established forwards in City’s Under-21 side this season. He has started the campaign well, playing all three games, and operating in a different position in each.

Unlike Haaland, the rapid teenager is still trying to work out where his best position is - whether that’s as a no,9, winger, or attacking midfielder - but insists there’s no rush to nail down a defined role at this early stage.  And dor his such a short career, Oboavwoduo has already packed a lot in: a goal in the victorious 2024 FA Youth Cup final, an underage World Cup and two Under-18 league titles.

While the summer offered an immersive experience with Haaland et al, it was certainly not his first time around the senior group. Oboavwoduo, a Mancunian who has been at City since the age of eight, has trained regularly with the first team and travelled to Saudi Arabia last season for the Club World Cup.

“It was the first time I'd gone with them,” he explained. “Being able to see it close up really helped add some of the routines into my own matchday routine.”

The aim for now is to continue developing at youth level, working hard, performing well and knowing that a path to the first team is available. Guardiola’s always watching.

“I use it as motivation to say this is what I want to do and be with the greatest players in football, being able to play with them. I use that to drive me on a day to day basis, thinking how there could be a real career for me in football.

“Going out on tour with the first team was a great privilege and being able to learn from Pep and all the players on a day-to-day basis was an incredible achievement in my professional career to date,” he added.

“Pre-season is a time to get fit but also for a manager and his staff to implement different concepts for the team. Learning different ways to press and build-up really helped me to see what I can bring back to the 21s to hopefully spearhead our season.”

If there’s any proof that Haaland has influenced Oboavwoduo, it’s that the young City star has set a goal tally for the season, even if it might fall a little short of the Norwegian’s tally. Yet, if that ‘one or two percent’ of Haaland’s magic can rub off on the Under-21 star, he’ll undoubtedly be in line for a stellar campaign.