Micah Richards says Erling Haaland transfer should not lead to Man City sale amid exit links

Micah Richards believes Manchester City shouldn’t look to sell their attacking players this summer despite Erling Haaland’s arrival.

The former Sky Blues defender thinks the club’s current options in forward positions have performed well this season and Pep Guardiola will benefit from keeping them at the Etihad Stadium.

Gabriel Jesus has been linked with a move away from City this campaign, with Arsenal rumoured to be interested in the Brazilian.

The forward has scored 13 goals in all competitions for Guardiola’s team this season, but Richards knows it might be ‘difficult’ for him to get gametime with Haaland’s arrival.

“It’s going to be difficult with [Gabriel] Jesus playing so well,” Richards told Sky Sports.

“[Jack] Grealish likes to play off the left, but so does [Phil] Foden. Foden [can play as a] false nine as well. It’s going to be difficult, someone at some stage will probably need to go.

“My opinion, I wouldn’t be selling Jesus right because of the work he does. Bernardo Silva also can play in those positions, but the difference with Haaland is he’s different to all those players I mentioned.

“I’m not saying Haaland is going to come and set the world on fire from the start, but he’s a different option.

“Man City, in the Real Madrid game, they went long for the last 10/15 minutes. They were playing to Foden or [Raheem] Sterling or whoever was up there. [When] You have Haaland, he’s a big physical presence. He’s a focal point which people can play off you.”

The Sky Blues agreed to sign Haaland from Borussia Dortmund after activating his £51.1m release clause.

He will join Guardiola’s team on July 1 and will reportedly earn £375,000 per week at the Etihad, as per Fabrizio Romano - almost three times his weekly wage at Dortmund.

Haaland is one of the world’s most prolific strikers, netting 85 goals in 88 appearances in all competitions for the German club. His arrival at City is arguably one of the biggest in Premier League history and could help them go one place further in Europe.

City failed to reach a second consecutive Champions League final this season, but will be hoping Haaland’s arrival can change that.