Real Madrid have reportedly set their sights on Dortmund striker Erling Haaland as a long-term solution to their goalscoring troubles.
Los Blancos are currently top of the La Liga table with 12 games to go, but the statistics show what their strengths and weaknesses have been so far this campaign.
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They’ve conceded just 17 goals in their 26 league outings, giving them the best defensive record in the top flight. However, they’ve scored just 48 goals, which is the second highest tally but well below Barcelona who have bagged 62.
To put it into greater context, before Cristiano Ronaldo left, they scored 94, 106, 110 and 118 goals in each year from the 2017/18 campaign dating back to 2014/15.
While La Liga has also evolved and the defending is perhaps much improved, that still shows just how much they’ve struggled in attack since they lost their former talisman.
With that in mind, AS report that Haaland has seemingly been identified as a possible long-term solution as he continues to impress for Dortmund this year.
Overall between his stints with RB Salzburg and the Bundesliga giants, he has now bagged 40 goals and eight assists in just 31 games in what has been a staggering break-out season for the 19-year-old.
It’s added by AS that his father has hinted at a future in Spain while he is said to have a €75m release clause in 2021.
Time will tell if he can maintain his incredible form between now and the end of the season, but it could be argued that he’s already done enough to convince all concerned that he’s the right man to lead Real Madrid forward in the coming years.
Karim Benzema turns 33 at the end of this year and his form has been inconsistent again this season.
In turn, Haaland could be a perfect replacement for the Frenchman, although he still needs the right players around him to allow him to flourish, just as Dortmund have found since he arrived as he has relished leading the line with creativity all around him.