Manchester City identify potential Erling Haaland replacement and hold potentially crucial key to blockbuster transfer | OneFootball

Officials within the Etihad Stadium have maintained their approach to succession planning by identifying a new striker for any potential Erling Haaland exit.

The Norway international is certainly settled in his position as Manchester City’s leading striker, and there is no indication that the 24-year-old would be wanting to take on a new challenge elsewhere in European football any time soon.

That feeling is heightened by the fact that Haaland is expected to put pen to paper on an extended agreement at Manchester City, lengthening his contracted stay and also taking on a vastly increased salary package to represent his successes at the club since arriving in 2022.

However, there has been a long-standing feeling around the Haaland camp that the Manchester City striker may want to test himself at various levels of European football, and as such that keeps the club on their toes regarding potential successors whenever required.

The latest name to be linked for that role concerns one of Sporting’s primary star names, heightened by the fact that the Premier League champions have confirmed the Portuguese club’s director of football as the successor to Txiki Begiristain from next summer.

According to the information of Sky Sports Switzerland’s Sacha Tavolieri, Manchester City are ‘counting on’ Sporting CP and Sweden international striker, Viktor Gyökeres as a potential successor to Erling Haaland, should the Norwegian leave the club in future.

It is claimed that the 26-year-old is ‘already in contact with his entourage’, while Manchester City’s incoming Director of Football and current Sporting CP director, Hugo Viana has made the Swede a ‘priority’ and ‘wants to build the backbone’ of his new project around him.

However, it is stressed that the president of Sporting, Frederico Varandas has been clear internally that ‘no gifts will be made’ to Viana, who would have to sanction a €100 million fee to sign the “new Haaland”.

Speaking during a documentary released shortly after Erling Haaland’s arrival at Manchester City, covering the decision made by the striker and his team over where his future lay beyond Borussia Dortmund, the player’s father illustrated the career intentions of his son.

“I think Erling wants to test out his capabilities in every league,” Alf-Inge Haaland explained. “Then he can stay in every league for three to four years maximum.”

He continued, “He could have 2½ years in Germany, 2½ in England, and then in Spain, Italy, France, right? *laughs*”

“We do not know if it will be like that, but I think he would like to test his abilities in the big leagues.”

For now, the feeling remains very clear from within Manchester City that Erling Haaland has no chance of leaving the club any time soon, and the priority from all sides remains to extend his stay at the Etihad Stadium even further.