Norway boss Stale Solbakken holds crunch Man City summit with Enzo Maresca over Erling Haaland before naming Nations League squad

Solbakken prioritised a trip to England to establish a working relationship with Pep Guardiola’s successor ahead of a vital international period. The Norway boss spent time observing City’s training session before engaging in a 20-minute private meeting with Maresca. The primary focus of the discussion was the welfare and availability of Haaland, who remains the talismanic figure for both club and country. Solbakken expressed his satisfaction with the encounter, noting the importance of building trust early in Maresca's tenure at the Etihad Stadium.

“It was very important,” Solbakken told VG. “We had a very good conversation. We got to know each other a bit. We have had a very good relationship with Guardiola and City during my time as national team coach. It is important with regard to Erling. I got to present myself, we exchanged phone numbers – and we had the first conversation around the fact that Erling is an important man for both. I think it is important that we have met each other to have good communication."

Solbakken’s visit coincided with a busy week for Norwegian stars in the Premier League, including visits to Anfield and Old Trafford. The coach admitted that while he does not see an immediate need for a break for Haaland, the situation will require careful monitoring as the winter months approach and the fixture list intensifies further.

“We talked a bit about the state of things. Erling is important and we shall be open and honest with each other,” Solbakken explained. “We have never received any hints from Manchester City to save Erling in international matches. The most important thing for me is that we continue to be open with each other. If there are opportunities here and there, then we give him a break when he has played extremely many games. He stood over a couple of the national team's games leading up to the World Cup."

The necessity for workload management is apparent given the daunting schedule awaiting Norway in Nations League A. Solbakken's squad kick off their campaign with consecutive home fixtures at the Ullevaal Stadion, hosting Denmark on September 24 before welcoming Portugal on September 27. The international window offers no respite, as the team then embark on consecutive away trips to face Wales on October 1 and Portugal on October 4.

Haaland is not the only concern for Solbakken, who also maintains a close line of communication with Mikel Arteta regarding Martin Odegaard’s workload. The Norway boss was also encouraged by the performances of other Premier League-based players. He observed Sander Berge’s "rock solid" display for Fulham against Liverpool, which he described as Berge's best game of the season. However, he offered a constructive critique of Oscar Bobb, suggesting the youngster needs to be more "selfish" in front of goal after passing up shooting opportunities during his hour-long appearance at Anfield.

"There will always be special issues and pressure on Martin and Erling. Mikel Arteta we have had good contact with, and now the conditions are in place for us to have a good tone with Enzo Maresca as well," Solbakken revealed.

Beyond Haaland, Solbakken has injected fresh energy into his 25-man squad by introducing four new faces following their summer tournament. Bodo-Glimt duo Odin Bjortuft and Fredrik Sjovold have earned call-ups to reinforce the defense alongside established stars like Odegaard and Bobb. Solbakken is eager to evaluate how these domestic standouts adapt to the rigorous demands of senior international football.

"Bjortuft has always been on the cusp. Sjovold has been inside once previously, but had to leave right away. He has played well internationally. There is tough competition, but now we wish to get him into the environment and look closer at him," Solbakken said.