Manchester City have been told signing Erling Haaland would help surpass a milestone that even Sergio Aguero couldn’t manage in his time at the Etihad Stadium.
Having missed out on a deal for Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane earlier this year, the Norwegian goal machine is reportedly next Pep Guardiola’s ‘primary striker target’ as he looks for a new No 9 after the departure of Sergio Aguero last summer.
Haaland, who remains under contract with the Black and Yellow until 2024, has already netted 19 goals in 16 appearances for Dortmund this term despite injury concerns.
The Dortmund talisman has become one of the most sought-after players in the transfer market since making his breakthrough at Red Bull Salzburg a couple of years ago.
Such remarkable progress in Germany has invariably put the Norwegian goal machine on the radars of many European football clubs, with Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Real Madrid among his suitors.
According to BT Sport pundit and former England playmaker, Joe Cole, if City could land Haaland in the summer, he could surpass Alan Shearer’s goal-scoring record in the Premier League.
“I think the crazy thing is they’re both [Mbappe and Haaland] flirting with leaving their clubs so the Premier League will be on notice,” the ex-Chelsea star Cole said.
“If one of those two come to any of the top three, they’re automatically favourites for the title next year, because there’s only a handful of players out there that you can put into that top three and make them better.
“Mbappe is a more rounded player, but I think Haaland just excites me. It’s just the way he runs. I think he’ll develop into a leader as well. [He will be] A leader of men as he gets older I think he’ll be a captain.
“I think if he comes over, at the age he is at now, he will go and break Shearer’s record and if he stays for ten years, then I think he will break all records.”
Shearer netted 260 goals during his career in the Premier League — 76 more than City great Aguero.
The Argentine scored 260 goals in all competitions for Manchester City and is the fourth scorer in the Premier League history. Agüero overtook Eric Brook, the club record holder for 78 years, with 158 goals on the club’s all-time goalscorer list during this season.
