Erling Haaland has made it clear to Manchester City that they would need to find a new first-choice striker if he ever stops scoring.
The Norwegian forward has been in sensational form this season, already netting 15 goals in the Premier League.
During City’s thrilling 5-4 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage, Haaland broke Alan Shearer’s long-standing record, becoming the fastest player in Premier League history to reach 100 goals. The 25-year-old achieved the milestone in just 111 games, surpassing Shearer’s 1995 record by 13 matches.
Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast with Shearer and Gary Lineker, Haaland openly stated that the club would have to move on if he stops delivering goals.
“You want to win every game and support the team, because football is a team sport,” he said.
“But as the striker, it’s my job to score. If I’m not providing goals, they have to replace me. There’s a lot of pressure to deliver and fulfil that role.”
Manchester City are preparing to face Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the Champions League on Wednesday. In the Premier League, they currently sit second, two points behind Arsenal, and are determined to improve on last season’s disappointing campaign, where they finished third, 13 points behind champions Liverpool.
Reflecting on last season, Haaland noted: “Injuries played a part, but I don’t want to put all the blame there. It’s tough to maintain that level after achieving so much. There’s a psychological aspect too, when you haven’t won for years versus winning consecutively for several seasons.”
He added: “Maintaining success after winning something as monumental as a treble is incredibly challenging. Doing it four years in a row was extraordinary. It will be remembered for generations because I don’t think anyone will repeat it.”
