Will Erling Haaland’s Arrival Take Manchester City To A Whole New Level?

Erling Haaland’s future has been up in the air for a while, with the Borussia Dortmund subject of interest from all of Europe’s top clubs. But, in the end, Manchester City won the race to sign the Norwegian international, with his release clause triggered and a medical complete. So all attention now turns to just how the prolific striker can take City to a whole new level. 

One thing that City have become good at in recent times is winning the Premier League title. They have bagged four English top-flight crowns since the 2011/12 campaign, with three coming under the guidance of current manager Pep Guardiola. And, with a fourth in touching distance and Haaland on the horizon, many believe this will make Manchester City firm Premier League betting favourites for the title next year too. 

And, it’s fair to say that this belief that City will become the dominant force domestically following Haaland’s arrival has some merit. The Bundesliga, which is classed as one of Europe’s top five leagues, has seen Haaland bag sixty goals and nineteen assists in just sixty-seven outings. And, taking into account his time on the pitch, he’s been involved in a goal every 0.7 games, which is some going. 

It's all well and good City being the team to beat in the Premier League, but the one accolade eluding them thus far is the one they covet most, and that’s the Champions League trophy. Guardiola, 51, is a two-time winner of Europe’s top club competition, with both successes coming during his spell at Barcelona. And, after going close on occasions, with a semi-final reverse to Real Madrid this season, there is a feeling that Haaland is very much a missing piece to the jigsaw. 

You see, what’s often overlooked in Haaland’s case is his performances on the biggest stages when the stakes are at their highest. He may only be twenty-one, but he’s once again proven prolific in the Champions League, with twenty-three goals from nineteen appearances and a direct goal involvement every 0.6 games. It’s another outstanding record and yet another sign that Haaland is the player who will make all the difference and elevate Manchester City to the next level that, so far, they’ve been unable to climb to. 

In terms of how Haaland will fit into the team, he’s likely to be the central striker and, therefore, a focal point of the attack. It’s a complaint that has been levied at City for their lack of out and out strikers and Guardiola’s preference to operate with a false nine. It’s also led to criticism of goalscoring chances being squandered in the big games. However, with Haaland in the team, you’d expect opportunities to score not to go begging anymore, taking pressure off the midfielders who have been moulded into stand-in strikers over the last couple of seasons.