Manchester City are yet to find consistent form this season, which was further proven by their latest 1–0 defeat against Aston Villa. The Citizens have now slipped down to fifth place with 16 points. It was one of several instances this campaign when Erling Haaland failed to get on the scoresheet.
Haaland has had the lion’s share of goals for the club so far this season. He has found the back of the net consistently and has already scored 11 of Manchester City’s 17 goals in just 9 Premier League matches. This converts to about 64.7 percent of their total tally which is impressive.
While it is undoubtedly great to see Haaland in top form and carrying the team, one cannot help but wonder:
Could Manchester City’s over-reliance on Haaland for goals be hurting them?
Haaland joined Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 for a fee of €60 million. Since then, the Norwegian has been the main man up front for the Citizens. Under Pep Guardiola, City lifted their first ever Champions League trophy following Haaland’s arrival, which was a truly historic moment.
The 25 year old striker has already scored 139 goals in just 158 appearances for the club, and fans certainly expect him to score many more in the future.
That said, the Citizens might want to find a reliable backup in case of unforeseen scenarios such as an injury or a potential transfer. It is true that Manchester City have tied the striker down to a long term contract until 2034.
However, reports suggest that Real Madrid are eyeing a move for Haaland if Vinicius Junior decides to leave in the coming window. This possibility seems to grow stronger by the day, especially after the Brazilian’s outburst following his substitution in El Clasico.
In case of such an event, the Citizens will be left with only Omar Marmoush as their other striker option if Haaland departs the club. Moreover, Manchester City have failed to secure wins on several occasions this season when Haaland has not been able to score which is another major concern and should be addressed soon.
Notably, the club sold Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid in 2024, and the Argentine is performing brilliantly there. His presence could have been valuable for City in these situations.
Nevertheless, Haaland continues to deliver consistently for now, but City would need to plan ahead. Signing a young and reliable striker in the next transfer window could help reduce their dependence on the Norwegian and strengthen their attacking depth.