Erling Haaland issued with transfer plea after Man City star's holiday comments

Erling Haaland has been inundated with messages from Roma fans after the Manchester City star was spotted on holiday the Italian capital. Haaland, who turns 25 on Monday, was pictured walking around Rome with his girlfriend Isabel Haugseng Johansen, the mother of the striker's first child.

Haaland and City team-mates aren't having a regular pre-season like the 18 other Premier League sides due to their participation in the recent Club World Cup alongside winners Chelsea. But the Norwegian wasn't just in Italy to see the sights.

During his and Johansen's trip, they attend a Dolce & Gabbana fashion show. After the event, Haaland shared a post to his 37.9 million followers on Instagram raving about Rome's beauty.

"Rome is without doubt one of the most beautiful cities I've ever been to!" the 24-year-old wrote. "And the food? Omg. Incredible. I'm enjoying the summer! Thanks D&G and the city of Rome for making the time here smooth. I love Italy!"

Of course, Roma's passionate supporters took the opportunity to try and urge Haaland to come back on a permanent basis - however unlikely given that he recently signed an extraordinary nine-a-half-year contract extension with City.

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"If you love Rome so much, come," one supporter pleaded. A second followed up by urging: "Come to Rome, come to Serie A in the end it's not that bad!!!"

Another suggested: "Erling next to [Artem] Dovbyk would be a great offensive partnership."

But it wasn't just Roma fans who were trying their luck. "What if you come to Naples?! Ask KDB," a Napoli supporter wrote, hoping to see Haaland reunite with Kevin De Bruyne.

Which Italian team would suit Erling Haaland best? Let us know your pick in the comments section.

A move to Italy down the line is a possibility, though, especially after his dad's comments. Alf-Inge, the former City midfielder, suggested in 2022 that his son wants to play in all of the top leagues in Europe, having already conquered England and Germany.

He told France Football: "Erling could stay at City for 15 years because he is very happy and we are talking about a huge club. But my impression is that he wants to demonstrate that he can win at any of the big leagues.

"He was in Germany for two-and-a-half years and he could do something like that in his future. Staying in the Premier League for three years and then going to Italy, Spain or France. There's nothing firm about it, but it's a possibility because Erling is capable of being a winner in any team."

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