Erling Haaland during his time with Red Bull Salzburg. (Getty Images)
Back in October, a report from The Mirror had claimed that Premier League giants Liverpool and Manchester United are both set to battle it out to sign RB Salzburg ace Erling Haaland.
The 19-year-old striker has been setting the Bundesliga on fire with his electric displays in front of the goal. With 15 goals to his name in 12 league matches so far, it comes as no surprise that arch-rivals United and Liverpool are tracking his progress.
In addition to his goals, Haaland has also chipped in with 4 assists, meaning he does not shy away from helping his teammates out. A player like him would not come cheap but the Red Devils and the Merseysiders have coffers deep enough to splurge and acquire his services.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at which club should sign him ahead of the other.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men are having a pretty forgettable season so far. With 12 league games done and dusted, United have bagged 16 points and are currently 7th in the table.
A single point separates them from Sheffield United, who are occupying the 5th spot. However, securing a top-four spot seems quite tough with fourth-placed Manchester City having 25 points.
Clearly, they need attacking reinforcements. Since letting Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez leave, United have lacked firepower upfront.
The likes of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial haven’t impressed and to that end, Haaland has the potential to transform their attack.
Jurgen Klopp and his men are flying high and they seem to be showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
With 34 points in 12 games, second-placed Leicester City are 8 points behind the Reds. These numbers speak volumes of their sheer dominance and they look set to not only win the league title but also work wonders in the Champions League.
Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino have been operating remarkably and on paper, the Reds do not lack a goalscorer. However, Haaland would be an excellent option on the bench and as a long-term prospect.
Both clubs have different requirements but a promising youngster like Haaland can improve any team that he joins.
Although the Red Devils need him more, the Norwegian ace might be prompted to move to Merseyside instead, considering their many successes under Klopp.