The five elite clubs Erling Haaland could join if he leaves Man City

Analysis

Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

Erling Haaland’s future at Manchester City has been thrown into doubt following the guilty verdict levelled against the club in 114 of 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League, but only a handful of teams can hope to sign the Norway star.

Man City players have reportedly been discussing potential relegation amongst themselves, and the prospect of playing second-tier football has put the future of many players in serious doubt.

Haaland, as City’s biggest superstar, is foremost among these.

FootballTransfers has already revealed that Arsenal are prepared to break the bank for the Norway international star should the opportunity arise to sign him, and the prolific scorer is likely to prove irresistible to many clubs, especially if available at a knockdown price.

But Haaland will not be prepared to go just anywhere. He will want a team where his game can continue to develop and where he can win titles. According to data analytics experts SciSports, there are only five clubs besides Man City where he can achieve his goal of personal development – and unsurprisingly, these are all superclubs.

Who could sign Erling Haaland?

Barcelona, Bayern Munich, PSG and Real Madrid comprise the list of European clubs strong enough to help Haaland hone his game, while Arsenal are the only Premier League club to make the grade.

It’s the Catalan club that stands out with a Club Fit score of 80 as Haaland’s outstanding option. This is based on numerous different metrics, including development, game time, playing style and formation.

Barcelona score well across all categories for Haaland. They can offer him the opportunity to develop his game in a formation and playing style that suits him, although somewhat surprisingly he is only given three stars for game time, despite Raphinha acting as an auxiliary centre-forward at Camp Nou currently.

Another option could be Bayern Munich, where he could replace Harry Kane. The presence of the prolific England striker no doubt plays a role as the Bavarians score 73 in terms of a Club Fit score, and were Kane to be excluded from this analysis, this figure would certainly rise.

Surprisingly, playing time is also a major concern at Arsenal, where Haaland only receives one star. However, the Gunners are regarded as the joint-best destination for the Norwegian if he wants to develop his game, with four stars in that regard. In total, Arsenal get a Club Fit score of 68.

PSG come one point worse off, while Real Madrid score a lowly 56, with almost nothing about Jose Mourinho’s side beyond the opportunity to develop his game being recommended to Haaland.

For this reason, the group of five clubs might be better considered four, but the aura of Los Blancos means they should never be ruled out, particularly if they are ultimately willing to build a team around Haaland.

What now for Haaland?

Haaland is under contract at Manchester City until 2035, so any movement regarding his situation will not occur until confirmation of the club’s status arrives.

Unless there is a fundamental change in the situation, like relegation might bring, he would be well advised to stay where he is: none of the rivals suit him as well as City, which SciSports gives a Club Fit score of 94.