With the buzzing news of Borussia Dortmund striker, Erling Haaland, agreeing on a deal to join Manchester City, the football community are marveled at the English club for securing one of the world’s most-sought goal punchers.
Haaland has featured for Dortmund in 88 games and has scored 85 goals, which have made the youngster a highly courted asset among Europe’s top clubs.
Real Madrid and Barcelona were reported to have been on the player’s trail, with the latter having held talks with the 21 year-old regarding a switch to Camp Nou in the summer.
Though some reportage and sports journalists stressed that Real Madrid President, Fiorentino Perez, had sealed a verbal agreement with the Norwegian; Manchester City in dire need of a natural centre-striker have succeeded in activating the €65m release clause of the player.
However, former Liverpool defender, Jamie Carragher, believes that there is nothing spectacular Haaland will add to Manchester City, that are already playing at their peak.
Manchester City are almost set to win their fourth Premier League title in five years and Carragher thinks that a team that have been able to record an average of 95 points for three seasons, is reveling in its best.
Sequel the above, the former Liverpool man disagreed that Haaland’s inclusion in the team will guarantee Manchester City’s success, adding that the player will need time to fit into the team.
“He will score goals – that’s what he has been brought in to do, of course he will. But that doesn’t guarantee that City will win everything. They will have to integrate him into the team. That means City will lose a creative player who helps them keep the ball,” Carragher told Sky Sports.
“There are lots of questions, including from myself. We will be analysing his performances at City and how he fits in. They had a world-class striker a few years ago in Sergio Aguero and they have another one now.
“It makes Man City stronger, of course, it does,” said Carragher. “But I look at it a different way. There are so many points you can win in a season. Haaland is not going to elevate City to a different level, they are already at that level of getting 96 to 100 points a season.
“There will be small differences in certain games. You think back to Manchester City’s semi-final defeat to Real Madrid – if Haaland is playing, you would expect City to get through. I’m talking about making a difference there.
“There is not a huge jump for City to make – they are already at the highest level. Consistency-wise, over the last three or four years, they have probably been the best in Europe. It’s just to make a small difference in the biggest of games, such as those against Real Madrid,” Carragher added.
Nevertheless, Carragher, who is skeptical about Erling Haaland’s influence in Manchester City’s games, praised the Premier League for being the strongest league in the world after the Dortmund prodigy snubbed Spain for England.
