Striker Manchester City eye as Erling Haaland replacement secures £62.5m transfer

Striker Manchester City eye as Erling Haaland replacement secures £62.5m transfer

Centre-forwards of Erling Haaland’s ilk certainly do not grow on trees.

But as rumours surrounding a potential switch to Real Madrid continue to linger in the back of Manchester City minds, the Premier League champions appear to be leaving nothing to chance.

Back in May, the irrepressible Erling Haaland insisted that he was in no rush to bring an end to two goal-laden, trophy-filled years at the Etihad Stadium.

Then again, nor did he completely rule out a departure in the near future.

“I’m really happy,” Haaland said, via ESPN. “Especially with the people that I’m surrounded with. The manager, the directors, the board… They are a group of amazing people and I’m really happy, I have to say.

“(But) If I say this now it’s probably going to be a massive headline. Tomorrow, you never know what the future brings.”

Erling Haaland’s long-term Manchester City future uncertain
Now, a club as meticulous in their planning as Man City are unlikely to be caught on their heels if or when the day comes – a year or two or three from now – for Haaland to take his laser-guided finishing to La Liga.

HITC understands that Pep Guardiola’s 2023 Treble winners have been keeping a very close eye on one Artem Dovbyk; the Ukraine international powerhouse who fired City’s Spanish-based sister club Girona into the Champions League for the first time ever last season.