Manchester City eyeing teenage Champions League sensation
Manchester City are reportedly interested in 19-year old Norwegian sensation Erling Haaland, who is the top scorer in this season’s Champions League, per Daily Mail.
Red Bull Salzburg talisman Erling Haaland has caught the eye of the Manchester City board after stunning performances in this season’s Champions League.
The forward has already scored six goals in Europe’s elite competition for the Austrian champions, with a jaw-dropping return of a goal every 33 minutes. Haaland announced his name on the world stage last summer by scoring nine goals in Norway’s 12-0 win over Honduras at the U-20 World Cup and has shown no signs of slowing down since.
Haaland’s father Alf-Inge “Alfie” Haaland played for Manchester City from 2000-2003, making 38 appearances before a series of knee injuries derailed his career. He was also the victim of a frightening challenge from Manchester United star Roy Keane in the 2001 Manchester Derby, which would go on to be a subject of controversy.
Haaland looks to be a future star, and has been linked heavily with local rivals United, whose manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer previously coached the young forward at Molde. After scoring a first-half hat-trick in his Champions League debut and then adding two more goals at Anfield against reigning European champions Liverpool, its clear to see why Haaland is attracting interest from some of the world’s biggest clubs.
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While the player could be a good fit at the Etihad, Gabriel Jesus has remained in good form while deputizing for talisman Sergio Agüero this season, and remains City’s long-term succession plan for their all-time leading goalscorer. The Brazilian managed 21 goals in all competitions a year ago, despite making just eight league starts. City will reportedly not sell Jesus for less than £100 million, which would be over a £70 million profit from the initial £28.6 million paid to Palmeiras in January of 2017.
With Haaland valued at over £50 million by Salzburg, a move for him only seems to make sense if Jesus were to move on, which looks unlikely as he begins the transition into City’s first choice up top in the coming seasons.