Transfer Centre

How Manchester United could line up with Erling Braut Haaland

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 22 March 2021

Sports Mole looks at how Manchester United could line up next season with Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Braut Haaland in their side.

Manchester United are reportedly confident of winning the race for in-demand Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Braut Haaland.

The 20-year-old, who has 49 goals in the same number of appearances for BVB, is also a rumoured target for Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Chelsea.

However, United may well be at the front of the queue, helped by the fact that Haaland's former Molde manager is in charge at Old Trafford.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be spoiled for choice should his Norwegian compatriot join, providing him with the prolific striker that he craves to turn United back into a title-winning force.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how United could line up with Haaland in their lineup next season.

How MNU could line up with HAL

Solskjaer has used a 4-2-3-1 formation in the majority of United's fixtures this season, and that is also the system Haaland is used to playing in at Dortmund.

There seems no real reason to tweak things, then, with Bruno Fernandes the next name on the team sheet in the attacking midfield position.

Out wide is where things get a little more difficult.

Marcus Rashford would likely be selected on the left should Haaland arrive, while Amad Diallo may be a regular on the other flank come the start of 2021-22, meaning no room for Anthony Martial.

Solskjaer has plenty of options in the holding midfield roles, including the likes of Paul Pogba, Scott McTominay, Fred and Nemanja Matic, plus potentially Declan Rice if the rumoured interest comes to anything.

There will unlikely be any real change in terms of the back four, which now looks settled with Victor Lindelof alongside Harry Maguire.

There remains a question mark in terms of the goalkeeping position, though - will it be Dean Henderson or David de Gea who gets the nod?

The number-one jersey is very much De Gea's to lose, and we are giving the Spaniard the nod in our predicted XI.