Man City guilty verdict could force Erling Haaland into stunning transfer

Analysis

Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

The revelation that Manchester City have been found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges levelled against them by the Premier League threatens to cause a shockwave through world football. And that could see the UAE-owned club lose many of their leading stars.

Among those whose future has suddenly been pushed into doubt is striker Erling Haaland, who having scored 169 goals in 205 games since arriving at the club from Borussia Dortmund in 2022, has established himself as the best centre-forward in the world.

Haaland is under contract with City until 2034, but given potential ramifications of the verdict, including relegation, that could follow, it may well be that he is forced to depart for the good of his career.

But what would be the best options for the Norwegian?

Given the circumstances, let’s assume that nothing is off the table for Haaland – including a move to a Premier League rival, which would have been unthinkable before City were reportedly found guilty.

Using the Career Advice tool of leading data analysis firm SciSports, FootballTransfers has ranked his five best options.

5. Chelsea: Club Fit 66

Xabi Alonso’s side are not a particularly strong fit for Haaland with a 66, in part because the development opportunities for Haaland at Stamford Bridge are seen as so weak. According to SciSports, the Blues offer just one star in this regard from a possible five.

They don’t fare too badly in terms of playing style or formation, though this may change for better or worse as Alonso moulds the team into his vision.

While Haaland may not be the type of signing associated with the BlueCo era of Chelsea, the possibility of adding such a star to the club’s ranks is something they would not overlook.

4. Man Utd: Club Fit 67

Although we established nothing was off the table in this analysis, Haaland moving to Manchester United is a deal that even in these desperate times for City is unthinkable. Nevertheless, the Red Devils are his fourth-strongest option, according to the data.

For Haaland, it would mean no upheaval in his personal life, which would surely be a bonus, yet the prospect of this deal progressing is not something that anyone would realistically consider.

3. Arsenal: Club Fit 68

Mikel Arteta’s side may only score a little more than their Premier League rivals, but they do look the strongest option for Haaland in England. Curiously, SciSports scores the Gunners lowly in terms of playing time, though Kai Havertz is a player the experts’ algorithm loves.

Arsenal also offer Haaland the type of development opportunities simply not present at Man Utd or Chelsea, while they are also a better fit in terms of style and formation.

If he goes anywhere in the Premier League, it has to be to the Emirates.

2. Bayern Munich: Club Fit 73

Haaland has already shone in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund, and a move to Bayern comes highly recommended.

One notable drawback is that he does only get three stars in terms of playing time, largely because of the presence of Harry Kane – perhaps the only other centre-forward in the world capable of rivalling him in terms of scoring power.

Kane, though, is deep into his 30s, and if Bayern were given the choice between one or the other, Haaland would look an attractive bet given he is seven years younger.

1. Barcelona: Club Fit 80

Barcelona are by far and away the best option for Haaland, and though their financial position remains comparatively difficult, president Joan Laporta would surely pull out all the stops to secure a signing like Haaland.

The Blaugrana are in need of a new centre-forward following the departure of Robert Lewandowski, and while Raphinha is filling the void impressively, he is no Haaland.

Barca were ready to pay €100m to sign Julian Alvarez in the summer, but the Norway star is a far better solution, offering a perfect fit for their playing style and formation. On paper, it’s a deal that would work out for everyone.

How the Career Advice tool works

SciSports’ Career Advice tool works by gathering data across many different metrics, including potential development, projected game time, playing style and formation, to calculate a unique figure for each club based on any given player.

Its algorithm looks at how the player would fit into a squad based on the existing players already there and how the team plays.

There are limitations to this, however. It cannot predict how a manager may change the functioning of a team based on the arrival of a new player. For example, would signing Haaland make Barcelona play in a more direct manner?

It also does not react instantly to the ideas of new managers. It is tied to club history rather than managerial history. In this case, Chelsea, for example, will still carry a handprint from last season rather than Alonso’s ideas, meaning their Club Fit score for Haaland has a greater degree of uncertainty than more settled teams like Arsenal, Bayern and Barcelona.

Nevertheless, it does provide an idea of how any given player may fit into a team.

Written by

Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

Robin Bairner is an eminent digital football journalist who has been writing about the sport for major global publishers since 2006, specialising in Ligue 1 and Scottish football. He has been chief editor of the FootballTransfers global edition since its launch in 2020. Previously Bairner had been a key member of the editorial team which helped Goal.com become the world’s biggest football website. He covered multiple major competitions as a correspondent for Goal including the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where he had the opportunity to work in Fortaleza. Among his highlights of the competition was Brazil’s quarter-final victory over Colombia.

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