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The forthcoming winter World Cup in Qatar has presented a number of problems to top-level teams this season.
However, now the tournament is here and the Premier League has started its six-week break, clubs face the task of keeping their players whose nations didn’t qualify – or weren’t selected by their countries – match fit for the return of top-flight football on 26 December.
Sure, they can get a head start on the Christmas shopping and put in some quality time on games console but, after a while, even that might get a bit boring.
Step forward Northern Premier League Premier Division side Ashton United.
The non-league club have submitted a, presumably VERY tongue in cheek, loan bid for Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.
Haaland, who has scored 23 goals in all competitions for City since joining from Borussia Dortmund in the summer, won’t be featuring in Qatar after Norway failed to qualify, so City’s local ‘rivals’ have asked if they could have him on a 28-day loan deal.
“It just makes sense,” Robins boss Michael Clegg told the club website.
“City aren’t playing, and we want to help by keeping Erling fit, it makes more sense than him playing golf for six weeks.
“We think he will be a great fit for us, and would slot in with our squad dynamic really well.”
| Stadium capacity | 53,400 | 4,500 |
| Division | Premier League | Northern Premier League Premier Division |
| Record signing | Jack Grealish (£100m from Aston Villa in 2021) | Andy Whittaker (£9,000 from Netherfield in 1994) |
| Premier League titles | Six | Zero |
Ashton is just six miles from City’s Etihad Stadium home and the town does have fine World Cup pedigree – England’s 1966 hat-trick hero Geoff Hurst and Three Lions team-mate Jimmy Armfield were born there, as was Italian midfielder Simone Perrotta, who won the trophy in 2006.
The transfer window is still open in non-league so, theoretically speaking, City could let him go to the Hurst Cross side in time for Saturday’s league game against Bamber Bridge, who are three points and two places above mid-table Ashton.
The non-league side say they are yet to hear a response from the Premier League champions. Maybe don’t hold your breath on that one guys.
According to boss Pep Guardiola, Haaland is going to spend the break on holiday in Marbella and back in Norway with family before returning to training with City, who are second in the Premier League.
But who knows, maybe he could be swayed into spending a month with Ashton and spark a wave of similar transfers?
Mohamed Salah to Marine? Miguel Almiron to South Shields? Martin Odegaard to Barnet?
Probably not, no. But still, worth asking.
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