Erling Haaland has not ruled out the possibility of surpassing Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League goal-scoring record, although he doesn’t dwell on it. Shearer, a legendary figure for Newcastle United, netted an impressive 260 Premier League goals over 14 seasons with Blackburn and Newcastle before retiring in 2006.

Haaland, the Norwegian sensation now with Manchester City, has already made a significant impact, scoring 44 Premier League goals in just 42 appearances since his arrival from Borussia Dortmund for the 2022-23 season. In a playful tone, the 23-year-old remarked to the Telegraph, “How long is my contract? Three years and 10 months remaining? So, there is still time to do it, right?”

However, when pressed about his seriousness in chasing the record, Haaland clarified, “I didn’t say that! Such thoughts can’t occupy your mind. You must focus on the next game, the current season, and records like these will follow naturally. But if I happen to stay in England for another 15 years, who knows? We’ll see.”

Haaland, who boasts a total of 199 goals in 203 career appearances for Salzburg, Dortmund, City, and the Norwegian national team, acknowledged that the media now makes headlines when he doesn’t find the net. He embraced the expectation, saying, “Norwegian media, when I don’t score: ‘Goalless!’ That’s the headline. It’s a good thing. I’m not complaining, but I also signed with City to score goals. So, it was somewhat anticipated, maybe not as many, but I’m the one responsible for putting the ball in the back of the net.”

The prolific striker often appears to drift in and out of games, waiting for the right moment to strike. He explained his mindset, saying, “I go out of my body and become a zombie. It’s a kind of zoning out, observing my surroundings, waiting for that golden opportunity. When it arrives, I know I have to be prepared, you know?”