Manchester City have confirmed the signing of highly-rated teenage midfielder Sverre Nypan from Norwegian side Rosenborg on a five-year contract.
The 18-year-old, who is regarded as one of the most promising young talents in European football, joins the Premier League club in a deal that will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2030. The transfer fee is a record sale for Rosenborg, surpassing the £8.5m they received for John Carew’s move to Valencia in 2001.
Nypan becomes City’s fifth signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders, and Marcus Bettinelli.
“I am incredibly happy and proud to have joined Manchester City,” Nypan said in a statement. “It’s a dream for any young footballer to become part of this Club and to join such a group of world class talent. I am still very young with a lot to learn but the chance to be coached by Pep Guardiola, the best manager in the world, will only help me to become a better player.”
Nypan made his senior debut for Rosenborg at just 15 and has since made 70 appearances, scoring 14 goals and providing 11 assists. His performances have earned him the Eliteserien Young Player of the Year award for the past two seasons and have drawn comparisons to Arsenal and Norway captain Martin Odegaard.
“Both are technically skilled and have good passing abilities,” Norwegian football expert Jan-Henrik Korssund told BBC Sport. “Odegaard might be more of a dribbler, while Nypan is more someone who controls the game from midfield. He is a bit more box-to-box… In my opinion he’s definitely going to become one of Europe’s absolutely best midfielders.”
City won a significant race for the in-demand teenager, with both Manchester United and Arsenal having reportedly shown strong interest.
City’s Director of Football, Hugo Viana, expressed his delight at the signing. “Sverre is an exciting young player that the Club has been monitoring for quite some time now,” Viana said. “We feel that he already has numerous standout qualities but that at only 18 years of age, he is only going to continue to improve. We believe he will be an important asset for Manchester City in the years to come.”
Nypan joins fellow Norwegians Erling Haaland and Oscar Bobb at the Etihad, adding to the club’s growing Scandinavian contingent.
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