Kevin De Bruyne says the sky is the limit for Erling Haaland and the amount of goals he can score in his career, with a total of 800 within his reach.
Haaland has ripped Premier League defences apart since signing for Manchester City in the summer, scoring 18 goals in only 13 matches, including three successive home hat-tricks against Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United.
Even though the Norwegian was absent from the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, Haaland was quick to hit the ground running when City were back in action last Thursday night in the EFL Cup against Liverpool, finding the net within the opening 10 minutes.
De Bruyne, who set up Haaland for that goal, says his team-mate's desire to score all the time is what drives him to success and the possibility to break Premier League records.
"Haaland already has about 200 goals, so he can probably go to 600, 700 or 800 if he stays fit"
"Erling is so obsessed with goals," De Bruyne said. "He already has about 200 goals, so he can probably go to 600, 700 or 800 if he stays fit and does the things that he does.
"When you talk about professional footballers or professional athletes, everybody has that little edge. I don’t think you can become a professional player if you don’t have that little something to become the best version you can be.
"He is still a young boy enjoying his life and he takes his football very seriously. He loves scoring goals, so I think that is the most unique thing he has."
Guardiola - Haaland fitness better
Injuries have in the past limited Haaland's impact but Pep Guardiola says the striker is better with the foot-ligament issue that forced him to miss the starting XI for two Premier League matches.
The City manager said Haaland will be fit to face Leeds United on Wednesday evening as his team look to return to second in the table and restore the five-point gap behind leaders Arsenal.
“I think he will be ready,” Guardiola told City's official website. "Day by day he’s getting better. As much, he can train, he will get his condition.
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“The injury is completely different to last season. It was a knock in his feet in Dortmund when we played Champions League. The doctor says his damage his ligament in his feet is so painful, it’s not easy to recover.
“That’s why he struggled. But muscular issues and everything is perfect and now he is much, much, much better. Now it’s a question of time."