Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has donated a rare 16th-century Viking manuscript worth £100,000 to his hometown library in Bryne, Norway. The 25-year-old and his father purchased the 1594 printed edition of Snorri Sturluson's medieval work for 1.3 million Norwegian crowns, setting a national record for book sales. Haaland, born in Leeds while his father Alf-Inge played for Leeds United, grew up in the western Norwegian town.

The manuscript, the only surviving copy, contains stories of Viking kings, queens, farmers and warriors from the 13th century. Haaland specifically requested the book be displayed open to the public at Bryne's library, located about 30km south of Stavanger in the municipality of Time. He told Norwegian media he wants people to learn about those who came from his home region of Bryne and Jæren.

Beyond his football career, where he's the Premier League's top scorer this season with 22 goals in 29 appearances, Haaland sees books as tools for inspiration. The Norway captain, who scored 16 goals in European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, believes literature gives more people the chance to dream big and find their own path.