Erling Braut Haaland has definitely metamorphed from his wonderkid days past when he was dubbed a revelation, to now earning a World Class tag that today puts only World Cup winner, Kylian Mbappe, in the same breath as the phenomenon.
At 20 years of age, the Norwegian frontman is already shouldering weights of responsibility reserved for players in the older age category.
For Norway’s senior team, he has already netted 6 goals in just 7 games, a ridiculous strike rate that gives him a better head start than national footballing greats like D. Ronaldo, Pele, Maradona and C. Ronaldo.
This season alone, for his German club side, Borussia Dortmund, he has heaved the club on his shoulder scoring over 30 goals and single-handedly dragging them past the round of 16 in the UEFA champions league.
However with every passing day, comes strong rumours ignited from both his camp and interested parties, that this will be his last season in North Rhine-Westphalia. His transfer value on market value aggregator, Transfermarkt, stands at €110 million but credible sources have reported that he might be available for €75 million via a release clause inserted in his contract, but papers in Germany have refuted this.
Yet, even if some clubs could afford him, dealing with his enigmatic agent, Mino Raiola, is another bridge to cross. More so, even if these two obstacles were just formalities only one of the myriads of interested clubs will be able to attain his services.
So are they cheaper but similar strikers out there for your club to sign this summer? Definitely.
Some players have made so much wave and progress in the 2020/21 season, that they will provide a very much cheaper alternative to Erling Haaland. In this article, we have listed three cheap similar alternatives to Erling Haaland, your club should be pursuing in the transfer window.
1. Andre Silva
Eintracht Frankfurt
Portuguese forward, Andre Silva, is no kid and is light-years older than his Norwegian counterpart. The forward who turns 26 in June 2021 has had his own share of a journey man-like career, that. Has seen him play in four different clubs and country in the last four years.
He however appears to have found his calling in the Bundesliga, Erling Haaland’s backyard, and has scored the same amount of goals (21) as the Dortmund man this season, with only Bayern Munich’s Polish machine managing more.
Both Dortmund and Frankfurt have a lot of similarities this season: separated by only one point, with Frankfurt ahead of Dortmund in fourth and also just one goal difference between the duo. Meaning both players have scored the exact percentage of goals for their respective sides. In addition both players have chipped in with identical 5 assists apiece.
Six of Silva’s goals have however come from the penalty spot compared with Haaland’s two but the aforementioned has proven more important to his side than Haaland, as he boasts a better point per game ratio, even having played three games more.
On WhoScored, Silva has won more Man Of The Match awards (7) than his counterpart (5) and his better in the air despite being 10cm shorter.
Another significant difference is Silva’s versatility, as seven of his league goals have been scored with his weaker left foot or head, compared with Haaland’s two. Other than this, they are similar in every other aspect.
In addition to goals, no player has won more penalties in the Bundesliga than Silva’s six, while only one player has more shots on target in the league than the 23-year-old
Market Value: €37 million.
2. Patrick Bamford
Leeds United
For the past two seasons, a maximum of 23 goals has been the requirement to scoop the highest goal scorer gong in the EPL, so it comes as a surprise that a player who is playing his third ever top flight season in his nine-year career is making light work of this. That player is Leeds United striker, Patrick Bamford.
With 14 goals already to his name, the 27-year-old sit fourth on the top scorers’ list and has an amazing 7 assists to add to his tally. For a player not in the traditional big six teams, he has been involved in the highest number of goals with 21 goal contributions to his name.
Like Erling Haaland, he is left-footed and plays in a very attacking team. Although significantly older in age than the Dortmund man, he promises instant success to any team, as he has played in the most competitive level in elite football, the English League.
Worryingly, he has missed 17 big chances to Haaland’s 10, albeit in 8 more games. Respite is however found in the price at which the older player arrives, with his market value being shockingly low.
In the league, only Everton’s Calvert-Lewin has more non-penalty goals than Bamford’s 13, but he has the highest non-penalty expected goals per 90. No player in the league has more shots on target than the 27-year-old, while he sits second in total shots taken.
Market Value: €18 million.
3. Wout Weghorst
Wolfburg
Another player from the Bundesliga that plays in somewhat similar mould to Erling Haaland is Wolfburg’s Wout Weghorst. Like the Norwegian hitman, Weghorst is a player that favours short passes, flick ons and provides a lethal counter attack threat.
Although he has missed 7 more big chances than his counterpart, he has made up for this deficiency by creating 4 more in return. The Dutchman stands at a similar height to Haaland and uses his head better but would constantly rove more about the pitch which can be attributed to his team not being possession based.
Unfortunately, he is might be beyond his prime at 28 years of age, but arguably still has a lot to offer as he has netted at least 16 league goals in each of his last 4 seasons, with 17 already coming this season, a career-best. He has scored or assisted in 64 percent of the games he has started this season, in close comparison with Haaland’s 70 percent.
Although he has contributed the same amount of goals as the 20-year-old, he has been involved in a larger chunk of his team’s goals, almost 10 percent better than Haaland.
Wout Weghorst is behind only the aforementioned Andre Silva in number of penalty kicks won this season with four and comes third in total shots on target.
Market Value: €30 million
