Erling Haaland — 2025-26 Season

When Erling Haaland arrived in the Premier League from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2022, there were legitimate questions about whether his game — built around pace, movement, and direct running — would translate to the more tactical demands of the English top flight. He answered those questions with 36 goals in his debut Premier League season, shattering the record by a distance and making the question feel embarrassing in hindsight.

Four seasons on, Haaland is 25 years old and entering the supposed prime years of a centre-forward's career. His goal rates have remained historically unprecedented — no striker in the modern Premier League era comes close to his output per game. His movement off the ball, which looked almost robotic in its precision in his early career, has added nuance and variety. Defenders cannot simply "sit deep and nullify" Haaland — he has added an in-behind threat to his already devastating hold-up play and penalty area presence.

The 2025-26 season arrives with Manchester City in transition. Pep Guardiola's squad has undergone significant changes, and the team around Haaland looks different from the supporting cast that served him in 2022-23. Whether the new City still provides Haaland with the service and space he needs is the defining question of his 2025-26 campaign. A striker of his quality will always find a way — but elite productivity requires an elite system around it.

The Ballon d'Or is the other narrative thread. Haaland has been perpetually considered but not yet won football's most prestigious individual award. If City have a strong season and he finishes as Premier League top scorer with 30+ goals, 2026 could finally be his year.