Manchester City recently confirmed the signing of Erling Haaland following an agreement with Borussia Dortmund. City have activated his release clause worth £51.1 million, with total fees, including agent fees and the signing-on fee, to be around £85.5 million (According to Sky Sports).
It is a sensational move for both the player and the Premier League champions. Signing the Norwegian striker is only going to strengthen the already strong Manchester City squad.
Erling Haaland can do wonders in the Premier League
With Haaland's arrival, Manchester City are definitely assured of goals. The Norwegian striker has scored 62 league goals since joining Borussia Dortmund in January 2020.
During the same period, not many have been able to score more than the 21-year-old. Here, we take a look at the top goal-scoring forwards since Haaland's debut for Borussia Dortmund.
Note: Only Europe's top five leagues are considered
#5 Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
The Frenchman has been in outstanding form in the 2021-22 season. Using his vast experience and amazing goal-scoring abilities, Karim Benzema has been brutal in front of goal.
Real Madrid have made several comebacks this campaign and the French striker has had a hand in the majority of them. Benzema has finished with 27 La Liga goals this season, the most by any player in the league.
The French striker has done amazingly well in leading the attacking line for Los Blancos, scoring 59 goals since Haaland's Dortmund debut. Benzema may not be as young as Erling Haaland but he can surely challenge the Norwegian when it comes to scoring goals.
#4 Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)
Paris Saint-Germain were able to convince their star Kylian Mbappe to stay and renew his contract amidst strong links with Real Madrid. The French forward is one of the most talented youngsters in the world right now.
With his blistering pace, mind-boggling dribbling and sensational goal-scoring abilities, Kylian Mbappe has been unbelievable for Paris Saint-Germain. The 23-year-old ended as Ligue 1's top goal-scorer with 28 goals, as he has in the previous three seasons.
Mbappe and Haaland are touted to become two great players in the future and they are bound to be compared time and again. Since the latter's debut in January 2020 for Dortmund, Mbappe has scored 62 goals, scoring as many as the Norwegian.
#3 Ciro Immobile (Lazio)
The Italian striker has played at Lazio for the last six seasons. Ciro Immobile has been one of the most consistent goal-scorers in Serie A since joining the White and Sky Blues.
The 32-year-old ended the 2021-22 season with 27 goals, as the league's top goal-scorer. Immobile's smart positioning and clinical finishing has made him one of the top strikers in Serie A.
The Lazio striker has scored 66 goals since Haaland's Dortmund debut in January 2020. Ciro surely deserves more recognition for his phenomenal performances in front of goal.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
There is almost nothing that Cristiano Ronaldo has not achieved in his footballing career. The Portuguese superstar has scored plenty of goals in the different leagues that he has played in so far.
Despite Manchester United's poor form in the 2021-22 Premier League campaign, Ronaldo managed to score 18 goals. Prior to this season, the Portuguese did very well at Juventus, ending up as Serie A's top goal-scorer in the 2021-22 season with 29 goals.
Since Erling Haaland started playing for Dortmund in January 2020, Ronaldo has scored 68 goals. The Norwegian striker is a massive admirer of the Manchester United forward and may face him next season in the Manchester derby.
#1 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
There haven't been many strikers in the last decade who have been as ruthless as Robert Lewandowski has been in front of goal. The Polish striker has been outstanding for Bayern Munich, scoring goals for fun, time and again.
In the past five seasons in the Bundesliga, Lewandowski has been the top goal-scorer, including this season where he scored 35 goals. His sharp positioning, composed and clinical finishing has made him a dangerous player in the box.
Erling Haaland has given Lewandowski tough competition when it comes to the Bundesliga Golden Boot. Had the Norwegian stayed fit, it would have certainly made it much more difficult for the Polish striker to top the goal-scoring charts.
Since Erling Haaland's debut in January 2020, no player has scored more goals in Europe than Robert Lewandowski. The Bayern Munich striker has since scored 91 goals. With recent rumors (Source: Sky Sports) suggesting a move away from the Bavarian club, it will be interesting to see where his future lies.