There is a new king in the international realm of football.
Posted at 8:00 a.m.
In just 11 games for Manchester City, Erling Haaland has smashed through the doors of the throne room and won the seat. The 22-year-old Norwegian is unequivocally the best soccer player on the planet at the start of the season.
Haaland has 14 goals in 8 Premier League games. He has 5 others in 3 Champions League games. Most players would be happy to score that many… in a full season.
“At his age, there is not a player who can compete with him, launched his coach Pep Guardiola on Tuesday. Not one. »
Haaland, despite his height (6’4″) and build (192 lbs), seems to walk on water. Arrived from Borussia Dortmund in Germany in the off-season, he barely needed to adapt to the English style of play.
He is fast. Powerful. Strong. Accurate. One, two strides the ball at the foot, and it seems that the projectile has already half reached the target. And he plays for a team whose tactical disposition suits him perfectly.
In its place
Because we cannot talk about Haaland’s success as a Citizen without analyzing the very precise framing that awaited him at the Etihad.
Manchester City had been playing without a striker for two years. Which did not prevent him from winning the two Premier League titles in the meantime.
Previously, Guardiola had Sergio Agüero at his disposal. But the Argentinian striker essentially didn’t play in 2020-21, before moving to FC Barcelona the following season.
During this period, City continued to dominate. The ingenious Guardiola found a way to deploy a revamped attack, where all offensive players were involved. Instead of employing a number 9 like Agüero, the receiving focal point for the majority of attacking thrusts, we had a Kevin De Bruyne, usually in midfield, rising to become a ‘false number 9’. Or a Raheem Sterling, usually left winger, who refocused at the right time.
This style of play, everyone adheres to it at City. So, when you place a “real” number 9 in the machine that is Erling Haaland in this chessboard, you have the results that you see.
But don’t read this assuming Guardiola and City are solely responsible for the Norwegian’s early Premier League success. Haaland was already very well established as one of the best strikers in the world in Germany, with Dortmund. It’s still 86 goals in 89 games, from 2019 to 2022.
In England, he has just scored three hat tricks in three games. His most recent? It was during the Mancunian derby against United last Sunday. A 6-3 win. Then he followed up with a double in just 45 minutes of play on Wednesday against Copenhagen in the Champions League.
According to Guardiola, “the figures speak for themselves”.
You have this incredible feeling that he is always hungry and so competitive. His stats are frightening.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola
His left foot strikes defy gravity. His positioning is always right. He scores with his head. In return. Jumping. By sliding. With the little subtle touch. With power. After a burst of speed. From afar. Up close. This man is built for football. It doesn’t matter what strategy you use to take advantage of it.
The only downside to his breathtaking start to his career: Norway will unfortunately not be in the next World Cup. At least that will keep him fit for the second half of the season.
Until 2027
Obviously, a team with the means of Abu Dhabi from Manchester City can afford to seek the greatest hope of international football without breaking its own bank. And, above all, to succeed in preventing Real Madrid and Barça from seizing it before her.
Moreover, his father Alf-Inge Haaland is himself a former Citizen. The desire to take up the family torch must have played in his decision.
The Skyblues have not confirmed the length of the contract, but several outlets are reporting that it will expire in 2027.
The release clause to get him out of Dortmund last summer? Seventy-five million euros. A significant sum, certainly, but much lighter than the new standard of world soccer. It is of course enhanced by several signing bonuses, as well as a staggering weekly salary.
And already, rumors of his mid-term departure to Spain are starting to make headlines. In particular because Real Madrid would hold a “priority” clause for a possible transfer, perhaps as early as 2024, according to MundoDeportivo.
We can indeed suspect that he wishes one day to try his luck in another championship. Although his career in England is young. Embryonic, even. His contract with the Skyblues will expire in 2027.
But Haaland already looks too strong for the league. The Premier League goalscoring record for 38-game seasons is 31, set in 2017-18 by Mohamed Salah. If the current trend were to continue, Haaland would score… 66.