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As the Norwegian looks to fire City to Champions League glory against Inter, GOAL takes a look at his quest for physical perfection

Hundreds of cars line the car park at Manchester City's training ground and one sticks out in particular – a Rolls Royce. It belongs to Erling Haaland. There is nothing unusual about top footballers owning luxury cars, but Haaland's motor is different to most – according to legend, it contains a cooking stove.

Even when he is on the move, Haaland wants to be able to eat top-quality food. His love for cooking was plain to see when, during City's Premier League title celebrations last month at a high-end restaurant in the centre of Manchester, the striker, wearing silk pyjamas, went into the kitchen to grill his own steaks, leaving the chefs with their jaws on the floor.

Haaland has been described as a freak of nature, but while he is blessed with the ideal genetics – a footballer father and a heptathlete mother – his phenomenal physical condition is not down to chance.

From his diet to his sleep pattern through to his post-match massage routine, Haaland's daily regime is meticulously planned and a key reason why he has scored a stunning 52 goals this season in 52 games, firing City to the Premier League title, the FA Cup and the Champions League final.

Getty'He eats like a bear'

Haaland has experienced a huge growth spurt in recent years, fuelled by his insatiable eating habits. The striker says he consumes around 6,000 calories a day (adult men are supposed to consume around 2,500) and eating is a huge part of his life.

Norway team-mate Josh King said he had never seen anyone consume as much food as Haaland, remarking: "He just eats like a bear". And there is something animalistic about the striker's eating habits. While vegan diets have been become common among modern footballers, Haaland is an unashamed lover of meat.

That might have something to do with growing up in a rural community in Bryne, Norway, where he would help out his grandfather, a potato and pig farmer. But the type of meat he eats is unusual. As well as liking steak, Haaland eats cow's hearts and livers. Even Dwayne Johnson, better known as The Rock, expressed surprise when he learned of Haaland's diet.

The striker explained his eating habits in the documentary . "Eating quality food that is as local as possible is the most important," he said. "People say meat is bad for you, but which? The meat you get at McDonald's, or the local cow eating grass right there?"

AdvertisementGetty ImagesNo booze – but plenty of filtered water

Haaland also indulges in pasta, a former favourite dish of footballers but which has fallen out of fashion in recent times. His father, Alfie, cooks him lasagne the day before each home game, which helped him score back-to-back hat-tricks against Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest. And he is a regular at Italian eateries in Manchester, with one restaurant opening specially for him so he can eat in private, away from the public glare.

While a fair few City players indulge in nightlife – Guardiola remarked that his side "drunk all the alcohol in Manchester" after winning the title – Haaland is not known for drinking much booze.

"He is the best professional I have ever seen" said Jack Grealish of the Norwegian. "His mindset is something you won't see again. He does everything. Recovers; in the gym; 10 hours of treatment a day; ice baths; diet. That's why he is what he is. But I swear, I couldn't be like that!

"We have a great friendship, but he will point at me after a game and say: 'Hey. Don't you go out tonight partying'. I just tell him to shut up and go and sit in his ice bath."

But Haaland still takes a big interest in what he drinks. He insists on drinking filtered water, while also drinking kale-infused milk, calling it his "magic potion".

Getty Taking sleep seriously

As well as taking his diet seriously, Haaland is passionate about getting a good night's sleep, calling it "perhaps the most important thing in life". Cristiano Ronaldo, for example, has taken a huge interest in sleep patterns, talking of the benefits of taking regular naps. Haaland is more traditional, preferring to get to sleep by 10.30pm and turning off his technological devices long before he climbs into bed. But he also uses modern technology to help him get the rest he needs.

He puts on orange, blue-light glasses before going to bed which hide natural light, and wears an Oura ring on his finger to measure the quality of his sleep and his heart rate.

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GettyLate-night massages to stay injury-free

Sleep and diet are crucial to any elite player's performance, but injury can derail the most promising of seasons and even wreck a career. Haaland had a checkered injury history before arriving at City, missing 16 matches for Borussia Dortmund last season, mostly with muscle injuries.

But he and the club have worked hard to keep him fit and relatively injury-free. Guardiola has talked openly about the club's concerns about his injury history and credited the medical staff and physios for keeping him in shape.

Haaland has been unavailable for only three games this season, recovering quickly from each setback. The club asked sports therapist Mario Pafundi to accompany him on international duty with Norway to ensure he kept the same routine.

Haaland also takes his own initiative to stay injury-free. After the Champions League quarter-final first leg victory against Bayern Munich, he headed straight to the training ground – conveniently located opposite the road from the Etihad Stadium – for an hour-long massage.

Marcus Rashford scored his 28th goal of the season to give Man Utd a nervy 1-0 win over Brentford on another worrying night for David de Gea.

Marcus Rashford fired Manchester United to a 1-0 win over Brentford on Wednesday and sent Erik ten Hag's side back into the Premier League top four. The forward is now approaching the 30-goal milestone in all competitions – a tremendous potential accomplishment for a man who has completely changed the narrative of his career in a matter of months.

But this was not exactly an emphatic response to Sunday's 2-0 surrender to Newcastle and United still have plenty of problems to surmount to ensure they are in the Champions League places by the end of May.

Number one is David de Gea's kicking, after the Spaniard had another torrid time with the ball at his feet.

GOAL rates the United players from a rain-soaked and uncomfortable evening at Old Trafford.

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

David de Gea (4/10):

His kicking was very sloppy again while he was inches away from gifting a goal to Ivan Toney. Made amends by blocking a close-range shot from Kevin Schade, though it may have been more a product of poor finishing than standout goalkeeping.

Diogo Dalot (6/10):

An improvement on his shoddy display at St James' Park.

Raphael Varane (6/10):

Won every header he went for and barely allowed Toney a sniff although was beaten for pace by Schade.

Lisandro Martinez (8/10):

Another flawless performance, keeping things ticking over from the back with his precision passing.

Luke Shaw (6/10):

Heavily involved in attacking moves but was bizarrely taken off in the 37th minute, perhaps as he was on a booking or experiencing a minor injury.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Scott McTominay (7/10):

Put his body on the line with several crucial blocks and tackles and came close to scoring in the first half. Would have been United's new No.9 if his fizzing shot had stayed on target!

Marcel Sabitzer (7/10):

Set up Rashford's goal with a lovely cushioned header and was very active in attacking play.

Bruno Fernandes (5/10):

Offered little in attack and picked up a booking.

Getty ImagesAttack

Antony (8/10):

Was one of United's more dangerous players, helping set up the goal and coming close a couple of times to scoring himself.

Marcus Rashford (7/10):

It was not his most fluid display but once more he made the difference with a composed finish. Where would United be without his goals?

Jadon Sancho (5/10):

Another opportunity missed. He was slow and indecisive on the ball in the first half although improved a bit in the second before going off.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Tyrell Malacia (7/10):

Really confident on the ball and quick to snuff out any danger on his side, keeping Bryan Mbeumo quiet.

Fred (6/10):

Came close to doubling the lead but was not as good as Sabitzer.

Anthony Martial (5/10):

Could not create many openings despite the game being stretched. Doesn't look back to full sharpness.

Victor Lindelof (N/A)

Only introduced for the final few minutes.

Erik ten Hag (7/10):

Finally benched Wout Weghorst and was very active with his substitutions to ensure the lead did not slip.

Manchester United's 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday has condemned the Red Devils to their worst start in 34 years as Roy Hodgson made history.

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Palace beat United at Old TraffordUnited's fourth defeat of the seasonHodgson unbeaten in five at UnitedWHAT HAPPENED?

Ten Hag oversaw United's dismal defeat to Palace, their fourth loss of the campaign, meaning that they have now endured their worst start to a league season in 34 years. Hodgson also made history with Palace's win, as he became the first manager to go unbeaten in five consecutive away games at Old Trafford.

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United now sit 10th in the Premier League table, and are already six points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa. They are also nine points behind Manchester City, despite their 2-1 defeat to Wolves on Saturday.

DID YOU KNOW?

In the 1989-90 season, under Sir Alex Ferguson's management, United had lost four games by the end of September, and they went on to finish 13th in the First Division. They did manage to win the FA Cup, however, beating Crystal Palace in the final.

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United are next in action in midweek against Galatasaray in the Champions League, before returning to domestic action against Brentford next weekend.

Asad Shafiq will enter the first Test in Dubai full of confidence after scoring a breezy century to take Pakistan A to 305 for 8 in 90 overs against the Australians on the first day of their tour match in Sharjah

The Report by Brydon Coverdale in Sharjah15-Oct-2014
ScorecardAsad Shafiq’s footwork was impressive, especially against spin•Getty ImagesAsad Shafiq will enter the first Test in Dubai full of confidence after scoring a breezy century against the Australians on the first day of their tour match in Sharjah. Steve O’Keefe took 3 for 76, helping his case for a Test debut in what will probably be a twin-spin attack with Nathan Lyon.There was barely any turn in the pitch, and the fast men were only able to extract pace, bounce and movement with the new ball. The match does not have first-class status and both teams agreed to use all the players in their squads, with a limit of 90 overs per innings. At stumps on day one, Pakistan A had made 305 for 8 from their limited allotment.Shafiq reached his hundred, from his 148th delivery, with a pull to the midwicket boundary off Peter Siddle. He followed it with a six down the ground. The strokes were typical of the confidence shown throughout the innings by Shafiq, who finished the day with four sixes and was the only Pakistan batsman to carry on after a start.Many of his early runs came at the expense of Australia’s spinners as he looked dangerous in the second session. He smashed O’Keefe for six over long on and was also keen to use his feet against Lyon. When Glenn Maxwell was given three overs shortly before tea, he was struck for a pair of fours.Shafiq was happy to swing the bat as the last of Pakistan’s overs approached, with a couple of one-day style fours down the ground off Mitchell Johnson, and finished the day unbeaten on 108. The Australians will be acutely aware of his form when the first Test arrives next week.Australia spread the bowling workload throughout their squad, with Ben Hilfenhaus and Maxwell used from outside the XI who started the day. Lyon was the only member of the likely Test attack who did not claim a wicket, apart from the allrounder Mitchell Marsh, who is still recovering from a hamstring injury and will not bowl until the second innings.The most notable feature of the day’s play for Australia was the work of O’Keefe, who initially bowled quicker and flatter to keep runs down, but later began to toss the ball up a little more and encouraged some shots. Although that at times cost boundaries, including consecutive sixes over long-on when Shafiq used his feet, it also brought wickets.Babar Azam, who had compiled a patient 40, ran at O’Keefe for a loft down the ground, but found the safe hands of James Faulkner at mid-on. O’Keefe’s second wicket came when Haris Sohail, who had just cracked him over midwicket for six, was beaten next ball which drifted across him, straightened and took the off stump.It was the end of an entertaining innings of 43 from Sohail, who had struck two fours down the ground in one over from Lyon and frustrated the Australians in a century partnership with Shafiq. As Pakistan’s overs began to run out, O’Keefe picked up a third victim when Adnan Akmal was defeated by a little extra spin and steered a catch straight into the hands of Michael Clarke at first slip.That left O’Keefe with 3 for 76 from 23 overs, a rewarding analysis given the lack of assistance in the surface. Although Australia have plenty of bowling options, the likely Test attack appears to be O’Keefe joining Lyon in a spin pairing, with Johnson and Siddle as the two frontline fast men and Marsh as the seam-bowling allrounder.Siddle and Johnson found hints of movement and left Pakistan A at 11 for 2 after they chose to bat. Johnson had Shan Masood caught behind in the third over with a fullish ball that moved away slightly, and Siddle struck in the next over when No.3 Israrullah got a thick edge to third slip, where Steven Smith took a sharp catch to his left.Johnson’s pace was impressive early and after a long rest through the middle of the day, he returned with a few sharp bouncers to add some zip to proceedings later in the afternoon, including one that brought Shafiq has half-century when it flew over the slips for four. However, it was Siddle who claimed a second wicket when Raza Hasan was lbw for 5 as the shadows encroached, and Smith also chipped in with a late wicket.Shafiq was still at the crease having steered the innings after several of his colleagues made starts but failed to go on and post a big score. Opener Ahmed Shehzad took 12 balls to get off the mark but gradually began to find his touch with a boundary off the back foot through point off Johnson and an outstanding six pulled over midwicket when Siddle dropped short.Shehzad also enjoyed going after Lyon and used his feet well against the spin, lofting him over long-on for six and back over his head for four. But shortly after lunch, Shehzad fell for 55 when he played on to Hilfenhaus, who effectively performed the third seamer role that could be filled by Marsh in the Test match.Pakistan A went to stumps having used their full 90 overs, meaning the second day will begin with Australia’s openers Chris Rogers and Phillip Hughes at the crease.

A round-up of the President’s Silver Cup One Day matches played on January 30, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jan-2015Group IOffspinner Junaid Ilyas’ four-for helped United Bank restrict Quetta Bears to a 165, and set up an easy seven-wicket win with 11 overs to spare. At one stage Quetta were tottering at 88 for 7, before some resistance from the tail lifted them to a more respectable total. It was never going to really challenge the opposition though, and an unbeaten 57 from Saeed Bin Nasir and a stand of 81 with Ammar Hasan put the result beyond doubt. This meant Quetta are yet to get on the point table, two games into the tournament. It was United Bank’s first win.Hyderabad Hawks meanwhile aced a stiff chase against Pakistan International Airlines, sealing an exciting three-wicket win with two balls to spare. PIA had done well to get to 292 for 5 on the back of 112 from captain Kamran Sajid and 80 from Faisal Iqbal. The chase followed a similar pattern, with Faisal Athar hitting 111 and Shoaib Laghari hitting an unbeaten 64, both at better than a run a ball, with a number of cameos around them to seal the deal for Hyderabad.Group IIHabib Bank thumped Sialkot Stallions, chasing down a paltry target of 150 in 14.3 overs. The Habib Bank bowlers justified their decision to bowl, sharing the wickets around while cutting through Sialkot. No one in the Sialkot line-up could get more than Bilal Hussain’s 30. In reply, rapid knocks from Aftab Alam and Humayun Farhat further flatted Sialkot. Alam’s 71 came off 49 balls with 12 fours and a six, while Farhat made 38 off just 18 with six fours and a six. While Habib Bank are positioned comfortably near the top of the table after three games, it was Sialkot’s third loss in as many matches, putting them dead last.Rearguard action from Bahawalpur Stags’ lower order helped them to their first win, a 92-run victory over Abbottabad Falcons. Bahawalpur were reduced to 22 for 3 before brisk knocks of 81 from Rehan Rafiq and 52 from Moinuddin built on 61 from Faisal Mubashir to help raise them to 294 for 8. Several Abbottabad batsmen got starts in the chase, but none carried on – not even Khalilullah, the innings top-scorer with 50 – and they were bowled out with almost eight overs still left to bat.Group IIIOver in Group III, Faisalabad Wolves registered a three-wicket win against Multan Tigers. Faisalabad chose to bowl and were kept at bay by Multan opener Sikander Khan, who made 93 off 119. Shahzad Ali also chipped in with a quick fifty, lifting the team to 243. Naseer Akram had the standout figures for Faisalabad: 9.4-1-46-4. In the chase, Multan struck quick blows in clusters, but it was the few stands between those clusters that cost them. The chief contributors to those vital runs was Hasan Mahmood, who made 85 not out from No. 4 to see the team home in 48 overs.In a high-scoring encounter in Lahore, the hosts Lahore Eagles would have been happy to end up with an enormous total of 322, but that proved insufficient in the end, as Pakistan Television chased it down with seven balls and five wickets to spare. While Lahore’s innings was built around their top order – their top three, Tayyab Tahir, Gauhar Hafeez and Mohammad Waheed, all got fifties – the chase had contributions all through. It was anchored by 102 off 116 by opener Mohammad Naeem, and strengthened with half-centuries from Hasan Raza and Nawaz Ahmed, and a couple of 30-somethings from the middle order.

Pakistan coach Waqar Younis has rubbished all talks of rift in his side, and has urged everybody to not let these notions take away from the fact that Pakistan have not been playing good cricket

Sidharth Monga in Mohali 25-Mar-20161:08

‘We need to pick better fielders next time’ – Waqar

Pakistan coach Waqar Younis has rubbished all talks of a rift in his side, and has urged everybody to not let these notions take away from the fact that Pakistan have not been playing good cricket. Waqar’s own future as the Pakistan coach is not certain – his contract comes up for renewal in June – but he had advice, especially for the Pakistan selectors: look at the fielding aspect too before they pick players. Pakistan’s sloppy fielding might have been the difference between against Australia and New Zealand in the last two matches, with too many of them needing hiding.”I think the difference between the teams is very obvious and clear,” Waqar said. “We are not the best fielding side in the tournament. We need to think hard. The selectors need to look at that too. When you pick someone you have to look at the fielding aspect of his game. We have to look at youngsters. These big events bring about change so let’s see.”When asked about reports of rift in the team, Waqar said: “That the boys are not in agreement, not united, these are all made-up things. I was myself disturbed that such rumours have been spread. We are not playing good cricket, and that’s the bottom line. As a result of that we have to face this.”Waqar said losing against New Zealand three nights ago, when they were in charge of the chase after an explosive start from Sharjeel Khan, hurt him more than the loss to Australia. “There is obvious disappointment of getting knocked out of the World Cup,” he said. “We were disappointed more about the New Zealand game than this one because that match was in our control. We made mistakes with our bowling [today]. Not just in the final overs, when we went for a few, but whenever we got wickets we conceded boundaries. Had we bowled well they wouldn’t have scored 193. The boys were off the plan, we made mistakes.”Waqar was asked if Pakistan cricket was in terminal decline, and what the reason behind it was. “Now that we have just been knocked out, if I say something it might sound as an excuse,” Waqar said. “But if you look deeply there has been no cricket in Pakistan for the last six-seven years; its effects are showing. We had match-winners too. Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez, who could bowl. Yes there is indeed a bit of decline, and we need to arrest it. We will have to look at our domestic cricket and our infrastructure.”About the future – his own and Afridi’s – Waqar was less certain. About himself, Waqar said: “About my career we will see what the state of affairs are. Will meet the chairman of the PCB and then decide.”Afridi was supposed to address the press conference after the defeat, but at the last moment Waqar was asked to come. “What I have heard is he [Afridi] is going to go back and do the press conference in Pakistan,” Waqar said. “Then he will decide what his future plans are.” As with Afridi’s two-decade career, his next move is anybody’s guess.

Ricardo Pepi has made USMNT history in his role as super-sub, with a serious claim being staked to filling a starting berth under Gregg Berhalter.

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United States in CONCACAF Nations League actionPSV striker among the goals once moreHas impressed as an impact substitute for his countryWHAT HAPPENED?

The 20-year-old striker has already spoken this season of making peace with the fact that he may be restricted to an impact role with club and country – as he is not guaranteed minutes at Eredivisie outfit PSV.

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Pepi continues to make an impression whenever called upon, though, and was back among the goals for the United States in their 3-0 victory over Trinidad & Tobago in the first leg of their CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final. He has now netted five times off the bench for the USMNT in 2023 – the best return that any American has offered over the course of a calendar year.

WHAT THEY SAID

Berhalter has said of Pepi sounding a warning to striking rivals such Folarin Balogun when it comes to competition for places in his starting XI: “All he does is when he gets the opportunity, takes advantage of it. And he's in a great spot. If you think about his situation, his [club] team in the league is undefeated, doing well in the Champions League. Compared to last year, his team was relegated. The year before he wasn't playing at Augsburg. So he's significantly increased his situation. He's gotten much better for us. He's established himself as a guy that's hard to take out because he keeps performing and I think he's in a great spot.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

Pepi suffered relegation out of the Eredivisie during a loan spell at Groningen last season, but he did hit 13 goals for the Dutch outfit and returned to the Netherlands when linking up with PSV. He has been catching the eye at international level after missing out on a place in the USMNT squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Wrexham have received a double boost with Steven Fletcher in line to return to action and goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo back in training.

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Scottish striker close to returnOkonkwo back in training after jaw opWrexham face up to hectic festive scheduleGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Ahead of Saturday's Welsh derby against Newport at the Racecourse Ground, manager Phil Parkinson has given encouraging updates about two key players who are close to a return to full fitness. Fletcher has been absent since picking up a knee injury that required surgery in late October. Meanwhile, Arsenal loanee Okonkwo suffered a facial injury last month which also required an operation.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT PHIL PARKINSON SAID

Speaking to the press ahead of a busy festive period, Parkinson announced that Fletcher had returned to training alongside full-back Ryan Barnett, although he could not put an exact date on his first-team comeback. "Fletch and Barney have been back involved this week," said the Wrexham boss. "We are just assessing them to see how the week progresses but it is good to get them back on the training ground. The good thing for Fletch is that when he joined us, he came in without a pre-season and this injury has allowed us an opportunity for the medical team to do a lot of fitness work with him."

On Okonkwo, Parkinson added: "Arthur's been back with us a couple of days now so we are pleased with that. We will just keep monitoring him on a day-to-day basis. He has a protective guard and has looked fine so far. He hasn't trained fully yet, just non-contact, but he is getting his handling back going and his kicking. We are gradually easing him back in but it's good to get him back up here and it's good to get him back involved with the lads again."

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Wrexham fans will be cheered by the news of players returning ahead of a busy period that may well shape the rest of their promotion push, and will hope to see Fletcher back partnering star striker Paul Mullin in the final third as soon as possible. Wrexham's injuries had been mounting ahead of their postponed trip to Forest Green a fortnight ago but appear to be easing ahead of a run of four games in nine days.

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WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

The festive fun begins on Saturday with a tasty-looking Welsh derby against Newport County. Trips to Swindon and Walsall follow before a mouthwatering clash against fellow promotion hopefuls Barrow on New Year's Day.

Alejandro Garnacho has been branded a “clown” following his second penalty spot scuff in as many outings for Manchester United against FC Copenhagen.

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Forward in European action for Red DevilsSuffered disappointing defeat in DenmarkAngered home support and playersWHAT HAPPENED?

The Argentina international saw his antics work during a first meeting with Danish opposition at Old Trafford – with Andre Onana saving a late spot-kick from Jordan Larsson that preserved the Red Devils’ narrow 1-0 lead.

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Garnacho was at it again on Wednesday, with the 19-year-old winger trying a similar tactic before Diogo Goncalves converted from 12 yards. United would go on to lose a dramatic tie 4-3, with Marcus Rashford picking up a controversial red card.

WHAT THEY SAID

Denis Vavro was one of the heroes for Copenhagen on a memorable European evening, and he told afterwards of Garnacho’s actions: “I saw that he tried to do something about the penalty kick, but Kevin Diks stood in front and blocked. It is the second time. And then on our track? To me he is a clown. He has the mentality of a child when he tries something like this again. In an away game. One thing is at home in the 97th minute, but here in the first half. I don’t understand him trying to do that.”

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Garnacho had incensed the home support when making shushing gestures towards the crowd after Bruno Fernandes scored a penalty of his own to put United 3-2 up on the night, but it was the hosts who had the last laugh as the Red Devils were left with their hopes of continental progress in 2023-24 hanging by a thread.

Xavi Simons is as good as Jude Bellingham and Jamal Masiala, says Bolo Zenden, with the Dutch starlet taking important lessons from Lionel Messi.

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Playmaker caught the eye at BarcelonaBack at PSG for second spellKey part of the Netherlands' future plansWHAT HAS HAPPENED?

Simons is still just 20 years of age, but he has been operating under the brightest of spotlights since first catching the eye in Barcelona’s academy system. Living up to big expectations was always going to be difficult, but the classy playmaker starred during a loan spell at PSV last season – hitting 22 goals – and finds himself back on the books of Paris Saint-Germain following a 12-month soiree in his native Netherlands.

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Simons is seeing his stock soar once more, as full potential is unlocked, with former PSV star Zenden – speaking in association with – telling GOAL of how good the exciting youngster can become: “He came relatively unknown to PSV. What I mean by that is that everybody knew about him – he played for Holland U18s, played at the Barca academy and at Paris Saint-Germain – but he didn’t feature much in first-team football and that is what I mean about him being relatively unknown. When he came to PSV, we maybe didn’t know what to expect from him and he still had to prove himself at first level football."

LEGENDS FOR TEACHERS

Zenden went on to say of Simons’ impact in Eindhoven, with it clear that the youngster had benefited from working alongside some modern day greats in Paris: “As soon as he came in, he was very positive, he had a good attitude, he was working hard and you could see that he had been at these bigger teams and he didn’t have his eyes in his pockets – he really learned from the big players like [Kylian] Mbappe, Messi, Neymar.

"He had a really good professionalism about him. He knew exactly what he wanted, where he wanted to go, and he became sort of a leader on the pitch for the squad. He was definitely one of the favourites with the fans with his way of playing, scoring goals and being important with assists. But it was also his joy of playing football. He was, don’t get me wrong on this, like a puppy being around and just being happy in what he was doing – it was a joy to watch. You hope that he is never going to lose that aura that he has got.”

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GettyWHY DID PSG RETURN HAPPEN?

PSV were understandably keen to retain Simons’ services after handing him a long-term contract, but a €6 million (£5m/$6m) release clause left them vulnerable – especially as Simons’ profile was eclipsing their own. Zenden added: “He has a massive following on Instagram – I think there was talk that he had more followers than PSV itself! He is a really popular figure. We wanted him to stay at PSV, but there was this clause in his contract and we knew it was never going to happen. At the same time, you have to be realistic and say it is due to the clause that it was possible for PSV to get him in.

"Then, he has gone to Leipzig and is doing the same again. He scored a great goal in midweek in the Champions League to help his team and is doing well in the Bundesliga as well. It’s great to see that a youngster like that is performing the way he does. There was talk in the Netherlands that the national team should build the team around him, but Koeman said that was probably a little bit too soon, too early to do so. But it says it all that he is doing a great job and it is a pleasure to watch. We hope we can enjoy him even more.”