Manchester City's all-time record goal-scorer Sergio Aguero has compared Erling Haaland to Lionel Messi and the Brazilian great Ronaldo, and believes that the young striker can help bring about a new era at the club.
Big things were expected of Haaland when City announced they had signed him for £51m early in the summer, but the 22-year-old has surpassed even the most optimistic of expectations during the first two months of the season.
The striker has scored a remarkable 20 goals in 13 appearances in all competitions for the Blues, scoring three hat-tricks and breaking numerous records in the process. With 15 goals in nine Premier League matches he already looks nailed on to win the Golden Boot award in his first seasons in the division, and now Aguero believes that he will be looked back on as one of the greatest strikers ever.
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"There's been many strikers worthy of awe I can think of. One of my favourites was Ronaldo Nazario, who time and time again proved to be the full package as a player, and a menace before the goalposts," Aguero told Stake.com.
"Each era usually has two or three players with that ability – and usually with different styles. Diego [Maradona], Romario, Lewandowski, Ibrahimovic, and Leo [Messi], of course! Each had their own flair but they were all tremendous scorers to a fault.
"Speaking of Haaland specifically, he's got potency, athleticism, and a particular instinct for goals, which makes him very dangerous. He's got everything to keep racking up amazing stats, especially being part of an offensively-minded team like City. That in turn means plenty of opportunities to score. He's young and has a lot of potential to continue breaking records. Key to this, of course, will be consistency."
It's not all about Haaland as an individual though, of course. Aguero believes that the striker will bring a new era to City, with a bit of help from a good friend of the Argentine's.
"When I left City, I shared how proud I was to have been part of a generation of players that made it one of the top clubs in the world. That was a re-foundational period, with many big changes, that allowed City to become a force to be reckoned with.
"I also said it'd be up to a new generation to maintain this status and reach new heights. I think this new team is ready for that. Kevin [de Bruyne] has an amazing record as a player, Haaland is on the right path. But it's not just the two of them. Phil Foden - my own favourite, Bernardo [Silva], Gundogan, Rodri, Laporte... each of their contributions make the team stronger."
Aguero was speaking in partnership with Stake: https://stake.com/blog/sergio-aguero-hot-football-topics-from-across-europe
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