Norway defender Kristoffer Ajer said football's "biggest star" Erling Haaland has been unaffected by Manchester City being found guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules. Haaland will play for the first time on Thursday since an independent panel's verdict released on Tuesday said that City arranged "sham" contracts with commercial partners to artificially inflate their commercial earnings.

The Premier League said sanctions will be decided in a separate hearing held by the independent commission, while City have continued to deny the charges and say they will appeal the verdict. Wales will host Norway in a Nations League fixture at Cardiff City Stadium, when Haaland will be in the spotlight and seeking to add to his extraordinary international record of 65 goals in 57 games.

"Ever since I met him brings lot of energy and joy to the group," Brentford center back Ajer said when asked about Haaland's demeanor in the Norway camp since City's guilty verdict. "That's the biggest compliment I always give, he hasn't changed a bit from the moment I met him, even though he's the biggest star on the planet right now."

Ajer said: "He's the best player in the world if you ask me, so hopefully he scores a few tomorrow as well. I have to admit that honestly I've read very little into it [the City situation]. We don't talk about it much here."