Manchester City are set to make a big money move for a striker this summer and Pep Guardiola's team have a three man shortlist to fill the position.
City won the Premier League last season whilst rarely playing a natural striker up front, due in some part thanks to injuries and Covid for Sergio Aguero.
With Aguero having left for Barcelona in the summer, Ferran Torres then making the same move this month, following the former's retirement, and Gabriel Jesus saying he's a winger, it's once again left City without a natural striker.
It's not exactly been a problem for Guardiola's team, who are once again top of the league and already have a 10 point lead on 2nd place Chelsea.
However, they are set to actually make a move for a striker in the summer, with one report claiming they've got three players in mind for their most 'significant outlay' at the end of the season.
According to the Athletic, Erling Haaland is top of the list, which will come as a blow to rivals Manchester United, along with many other clubs, with Alexander Isak and Dusan Vlahovic the other two options.
Haaland is all but certain to leave Borussia Dortmund this summer and at one time or another he has been linked with each of Europe's biggest clubs.
Real Madrid reportedly want to sign both Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, although signing the Frenchman, which is more likely, could lead the former to choose another club.
Another report has claimed his agent Mino Raiola has agreed to send him to Barcelona, but that seems unlikely as well, considering their money issues and the fact the Norwegian will cost around £250 million in total.
City's ability to spend big, and the fact Erling's father Alf Inge used to play for them, could make them the perfect destination for the 21-year-old who has scored 53 goals in 53 Bundesliga appearances.
Should they get beaten to his signing the Isak and Vlahovic would also be good options for Guardiola's side, as two of Europe's most exciting young strikers.
Isak didn't work out at Dortmund in the same way as Haaland but since moving to Real Sociedad the Swedish striker has been in excellent form, and scored 17 goals last season in La Liga.
Vlahovic is one of Europe's hottest properties right now, having scored 37 goals in 56 Serie A games since the beginning of last season, with a number of clubs interested.
Arsenal are amongst those interested but so far the Fiorentina striker has shown no desire to join Mikel Arteta's team, and reportedly ignored their calls last month.
The report also notes that Harry Kane is still an option too, after the club failed to sign him from Tottenham Hotspur last summer.
Topics: Transfers, Premier League, Manchester City, Erling Haaland, Alexander Isak
Ryan Sidle