There’s a reason that great goalscorers are so expensive, and it’s because it’s notoriously to find a reliable one.
Every team in world football would take Erling Haaland just now – he’s still only 21, his goalscoring record of 149 goals in 190 career games is absurd for someone that young, he’s got a relentless pressing style that pulls the whole team up the pitch behind him and he can score every single type of goal.
Man City and Real Madrid have been consistently linked with his signature over the past couple of years, but the Daily Mail are now reporting that a deal may have been reached to take him to the Etihad next season.
The transfer fee is expected to be a fairly modest £63m which represents excellent value for a player like him, but the bigger cost will come with his wages and paying a fee to Mino Raiola as it’s expected that his involvement will push the fee northwards of £100m.
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It’s suggested that Real were pushing to bring him in but City look set to have won the race, and it could be a gamechanger for Pep Guardiola next season as he’ll have a true number 9 who can be relied upon to score in most games.
It may not be an immediate blow for Real Madrid as they still have Karim Benzema playing at a phenomenal level, but he’ll also turn 35 at the end of the year so it makes sense that they’re being proactive in finding his replacement.
At this stage, it’s suggested that the deal is in place but isn’t quite finalised, so time will tell if this gives anyone else one final chance to steal in and offer something astronomical to turn his head at the last moment.