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Manchester City: Why Erling Haaland should be Agüero’s replacement

By J.C. Gonzalez

DORTMUND, GERMANY - OCTOBER 03: Erling Haaland of Borussia Dortmund celebrates after scoring his team's third goal during the Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and Sport-Club Freiburg at Signal Iduna Park on October 03, 2020 in Dortmund, Germany. A limited number of fans have been allowed into the stadium as COVID-19 precautions ease in Germany. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
DORTMUND, GERMANY - OCTOBER 03: Erling Haaland of Borussia Dortmund celebrates after scoring his team's third goal during the Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and Sport-Club Freiburg at Signal Iduna Park on October 03, 2020 in Dortmund, Germany. A limited number of fans have been allowed into the stadium as COVID-19 precautions ease in Germany. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) /
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With just one year left on his deal, Sergio Agüero’s time in Manchester is coming to an end, and Erling Haaland is the perfect man to replace him.

Signing another striker has been a subject of debate among Manchester City supporters for some time. With Sergio Agüero’s age, injuries, and contract situation catching up to him and Gabriel Jesus yet to completely convince that he is the long-term solution, bringing in a new striker makes sense. The club have yet to make any such advance, however, which leads me to hope that they are playing the long game: targeting Erling Haaland, the best young forward in world football, for next summer.

Haaland was linked to just about every big club in the world last season when he arrived in stunning fashion on the European stage with Red Bull Salzburg. Despite interest from Manchester United managed by fellow Norwegian Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, he chose his own path by going to Borussia Dortmund, a club known for developing talent then selling it on. In Germany, he has flourished into an absolute superstar, and I cannot imagine him staying much longer with the club.

City have never signed a player with so much global attention, making the yearly reports that they are willing to spend hundreds of millions on Kylian Mbappé ridiculous. However, there are distinguishing factors that can put Haaland directly in City’s crosshairs. The biggest of these is his release clause.

In the same way that he was able to effectively choose his destination via a cheap release clause at Salzburg, Haaland demanded an incredibly reasonable fee for his Dortmund clause. If City were to sign him, it would cost just £63 million: exactly within the club’s usual fee range. This is once again intentional. As the son of a former footballer, Haaland wants mobility and the ability to control his career by choosing his destination again.

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Speaking of his father, Alf-Inge Haaland played for Manchester City from 2000-2003, and a now-famous picture of Erling in a City shirt has emerged across the internet. There is clear sentimental value in a move of this sort, and given the price, City will be more than capable of pulling it off.

Haaland is the perfect choice for City because of the ways in which he mirrors Agüero. Above all, he is a born goalscorer and finisher, a trait you simply cannot teach. He also brings a physical presence and aerial ability that would be a huge asset to the club and something the team have not had since the departure of Edin Džeko. Therefore, I believe Haaland is the perfect replacement should Agüero leave next summer, and that City not signing a striker this window makes sense if they are playing the long game and looking deeper at a top target on a good price.