Mbappe 2022? Time to hit up Darwin Nunez? Why Liverpool won't be bothered by Man City's Haaland signing 😎
Erling Haaland is set to follow in his father's footsteps by signing for Manchester City
Erling Haaland is the kind of signing many expect to shake the very foundations of the sport in a similar vein to how the likes of modern giants in the game, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, sent shockwaves across the footballing world in their heyday at Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively.
This time, it’s Manchester City’s turn to welcome a Galactico into their ranks.
Activating the Norwegian international’s £51.2m release clause at Borussia Dortmund, the centre-forward is now set to link up with Pep Guardiola in Manchester in the summer.
It’s the kind of addition that fans of the club will no doubt be hoping can transform the Etihad-based outfit from perennial bridesmaids in the Champions League into a colossal European force.
Watch out, Liverpool?
Guardiola showed his cards early with an attempt to steal England international and renowned hitman Harry Kane from London in the prior summer window; a move doomed to fall flat on its face with £100m instead going on Aston Villa sensation, Jack Grealish.
[A move for Harry Kane didn’t quite work out as planned for Manchester City]
Though, as the current standings in the English top-flight would prove, the incumbent champions have hardly struggled to put the ball in the back of the net, the lack of an out-and-out striker since Sergio Agüero’s exit has been well-noted.
Having registered 28 goals in 29 games (across all competitions) this term - and that’s not forgetting the fact that the No.9 missed 16 games to injuries - the raw numbers would suggest that City’s recruitment team has plugged that particular hole well.
Does that mean the next Premier League campaign (and those for the foreseeable future) is already a foregone conclusion? The Champions League too?
As Jamie Carragher rightly noted on Sky Sports, it’s an addition that doesn’t necessarily catapult Pep Guardiola’s men into a higher stratosphere but rather brings them a step closer to realising a long-awaited Champions League dream.
How might the Cityzens have faired against Real Madrid with a global superstar in their ranks at the Bernabeu, one might wonder?
It’s a question that may perhaps be answered next term, however, for now, the signing presents a notable challenge to Guardiola’s team structure, which has predominantly relied on the efforts of the midfield over the frontline in recent times.
Is there a risk of Erling Haaland’s transfer somewhat upsetting the balance at the Etihad?
To be clear, it’s far too early to suggest that this is a potentially terminal concern for Manchester City’s hopes of accruing major silverware in the 2022/23 campaign, though it’s a concern that may perhaps be overlooked in amongst the fanfare.
How should Liverpool react? Should the Reds even react at all?
With Haaland tipped to be one of two superstars to trade places with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on their plinths at the peak of the footballing world, one could understand the clamour for Liverpool to seek out the former RB Salzburg attacker’s main potential competition for the next decade or so - Kylian Mbappe.
The World Cup-winner has been long-linked with European royalty of the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Liverpool, amongst other hopeful contenders.
With his contract still set to expire this summer too, you can almost hear the collective licking of lips from sporting directors across the globe as the days tick by.
[59 goal contributions across 44 games this season for PSG have marked out Kylian Mbappe as a frightening potential addition to any squad in Europe]
Will Liverpool react? Well… not directly.
A Julian Ward-led recruitment team will react exactly how the Michael Edwards-led recruitment team of yore did - by continuing to make smart acquisitions that others might ignore or overlook and by holding on to top talent.
One box was notched with a tick of gigantic proportions following our winter purchase of former FC Porto winger, Luis Diaz; a promising indicator of what our future transfer business will look like under Edwards’ protégé.
With Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané, Liverpool are already in possession of global superstars, not to mention a seriously underrated one in the African Cup of Nations-winning No.10.
Liverpool have never been about making the big Galactico signings and throwing the kitchen sink at a problem until a Michelin star kitchen appears out of thin air, nor are they ever likely to be.
Perhaps there may yet come a time where fans are inclined to watch on jealously as Erling Haaland registers his 40th goal of the season for Manchester City.
Regardless of how well the forward adapts to life in England, and Pep Guardiola to the tactical challenge ahead of him, it won’t change the fact that Liverpool have generally developed, not bought, their own superstars.
It’s an approach that’s worked out pretty well for Jurgen Klopp’s men thus far and one they’ll hope will continue to be their salvation.
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