Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has confirmed he has bought a new property in Abu Dhabi, just over a week after the club was found guilty of 114 breaches of Premier League financial rules.
The house is part of the Ohana development, a project by Ohana Residences in collaboration with City. Haaland announced the news in a video shown at an event at the Etihad Arena in the United Arab Emirates.
Haaland and father join Ohana project
“Hi everyone, I’m so happy because I’m joining the Manchester City Ohana project,” he said. “We will be neighbours in Abu Dhabi…I just got a house and so did my father.”
Haaland’s father, Alfie Haaland, was a special guest at the event and later joined on stage by former City boss Pep Guardiola, who took part in a question-and-answer session.
While the type of property purchased by Haaland and his father has not been disclosed, prices range from more than £770,000 for a two-bedroom townhouse to a custom estate costing more than £7.25 million.
Development includes training academy and beach
The complex will include a Man City Training Academy, a City cafe, a City terrace, fine dining, and its own beach and canal side. Property buyers will also receive a 10-year visa, as prices exceed the UAE’s property investment threshold.
The event comes as City continue to challenge the verdict of an independent panel, which found the club guilty of 114 of the Premier League charges.
Appeal ongoing after guilty verdict
The Premier League confirmed that the three-person panel found City had inflated their revenue by almost £900 million between 2009 and 2018 through ‘sham’ sponsorship deals. City responded by saying they have ‘irrefutable evidence’ to prove their innocence.
Should the guilty verdict be upheld, City are likely to face severe punishment, decided by the original three-person panel. Possible sanctions range from points deductions and transfer bans to expulsion from the Premier League.
If their appeal is unsuccessful, it could have a huge impact on the future of the club and the players. There is also a suggestion that City could face possible legal action from some of their Premier League rivals.
