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Claim: TikTok user claims Haaland intends to leave Man City for Liverpool
Verdict: False. DUBAWA’s findings reveal that the video’s properties have been digitally altered. The initial details of Optus Sports’ interview with the Norwegian focus mainly on his feat of achieving his seventh Premier League hat trick in his team’s encounter against Ipswich Town.
Full Text
Manchester City has been constantly appearing in the tabloids lately, but for the wrong reasons. The eight-time Premier League leaders have lost nine in 12 games in all competitions, with the recent loss being a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa, who are now fifth-placed, just above the citizens.
Amidst the crisis currently rocking the English side and its boss, Pep Guardiola, getting badgered with criticisms, a TikTok user, DangerousAI, via a video, claims that 2022 summer signing, Erling Haaland is ready to depart Manchester City for rival club Liverpool.
“I am leaving Manchester City. As you can see, I am here to sign with Liverpool,” he allegedly stated.
The Norwegian could be heard further criticising his teammate and English midfielder, Phil Foden.
“I can finally play with Mo Sallah. Finally, a winger that can actually get me the ball. Unlike that trash can, Phil Foden. That boy is too busy chasing girls,” Haaland was heard saying.
As of Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, the TikTok post has earned over 164,000 likes, 2,843 comments, 8,533 bookmarks, and 18,000 shares.
While most users perceived the video material to have been digitally altered, a handful believed the post was genuine.
“Liverpool fans would be waiting,” BigD87 commented.
“Welcome, bro. Come to (Liverpool). We love you,” Sten Bwoy reacted.
Due to the sensitivity of the matter presented in the post and social media users’ reactions to it, DUBAWA decided to verify the claim.
Verification
DUBAWA noticed that in the video presented, although Haaland’s lips and facial expressions synchronise with his words, his body movement is unnaturally reconciled with the background. Parts of his body either disappear or change proportion each time he moves. Such a cinematic feature is only evidence that the properties of the video have been altered or edited.
Furthermore, we noticed “Optus Sports” labelled on the microphone held by Haaland’s interviewer, and we thereafter checked to see if the sports news outfit ever interviewed the Norwegian.
We found an interview by Optus Sports with Haaland that was similar to the version the claimant shared. However, the interview’s details differed. Optus Sports only asked Haaland about his reaction to scoring his seventh Premier League hat-trick in his team’s encounter against Ipswich Town, to which he responded he felt nothing. The Norwegian did not utter statements the claimant shared on social media during his Optus Sports interview.
Furthermore, DUBAWA noticed that the background of the press interview where Haaland allegedly made his transfer statements was at Anfield, Liverpool’s home. Certainly, this would have occurred after the Red’s 2-0 victory over Man City on Dec. 1, 2024. So we checked for Haaland’s postmatch interview but found none. Only Guardiola’s postmatch interview was available.
We also checked for news reports on Haaland’s potential exit from Man City. We found a beIN Sports report detailing that the English side has begun negotiations to extend the Norwegian’s contract. Manchester City intends to raise his salary to $2.1 million per month and $25.3 million annually to fend off other interested clubs.
Moreover, in October, Liverpool was only among those watching Haaland’s position while he decided his future in Manchester City, however with nothing of much significance three months later.
Conclusion
Findings reveal that the video has been digitally edited and contains traces of artificial intelligence (AI). Moreover, no credible media outlet has corroborated the claim.
