Haaland’s career appears to be over

ALFIE HAALAND’S career looks to be over after Manchester City confirmed there was no chance of the Norwegian recovering from his long-standing knee injury.

And to compound the misery, the 30-year-old has also been informed that City will not be pursuing Roy Keane for damages over the horror tackle at Old Trafford in April 2001.

Blues chairman David Bernstein broke the bad news to Haaland yesterday after agonising over the decision with the rest of the City board.

Haaland, whose contract was due to run until 2005, must now decide if

he will press on with his legal fight.

He must also decide if he wants to try and salvage a career which appears certain to come to a premature end this summer after City activated a clause in the midfielder's contract which allows them to offer a six-month notice period if medical advice suggests he will not play again.

"I saw Alfie today and discussed this with him and it was not an easy conversation," Bernstein said.

"The whole thing has been incredibly sad. Alfie worked very, very hard to get himself fit and this decision has not been arrived at easily. It's very difficult for Alfie and very difficult for us but it is my responsibility to get a proper balance and protect the club's interests.

"My colleagues and I have agonised over this decision but I believe we have allowed sufficient time to pass."

Haaland has completed just 48 minutes of first-team action since Keane's tackle, which the player felt aggravated a long-standing injury on his other knee.

In his book, Keane appeared to claim the lunge was motivated by revenge, a view backed up by the FA who subsequently banned Keane for five matches and handed him a record £150,000 fine.

Haaland immediately signalled his intention to sue the Manchester United skipper, with City offering to back their player to the hilt provided it was proved that the club stood a good chance of winning their case.

However, advice to the contrary has now been received, leaving City with no option other than to leave Haaland to fight the battle on his own.

"The necessary medical and consequential legal advice has been received and carefully reviewed," said a club statement. "The conclusion is that it would be difficult for Manchester City to take action on medical grounds."

Haaland is continuing to take legal advice on the matter at the same time as facing up to the possibility that his football career is over. He already had a knee injury at the time of the Keane tackle and missed the final game of the season to undergo surgery, missing the start of the next season after being forced to undergo a second operation.

The player will continue to have access to physio and rehabilitation programmes through the club until August but unless he confounds expert medical advice, Haaland will not play competitively again. "We have taken top advice from all over the world the USA, Scandinavia and Britain and I believe we have done everything we can to support him," said Bernstein.