5 players who can replace Erling Haaland at Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund will have to replace the irreplaceable once again. First, it was Robert Lewandowski and now it is Erling Haaland. Although just 21, he has the world at his feet with a number of European clubs ready to break the bank to sign him.
Luckily for the Black and Yellows, they will not be tormented by their close rivals Bayern Munich again. The likes of Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona and others are all in the race to secure Erling Haaland's signature as well.
Sending him away from the German Bundesliga would be good for the league. It will promote the competition at the top rather than making life easy for the Bavarians. Although the world is discussing the Norwegian's potential options, few seem to care about what will happen to Borussia Dortmund once Haaland leaves.
Erling Haaland has scored 80 goals in 81 apperances for Dortmund
Without the Norway international in their ranks, the Black and Yellows would have struggled badly in domestic competitions as well as continental tournaments in the recent past. He has been the saving grace for the club and it is hard to imagine that anyone who succeeds him will be able to replicate his form.
But this is how football is and life will progress after the prolific Norwegian leaves the Bundesliga club. Where will Borussia Dortmund's search end though?
Here are the five players who could replace Erling Haaland at Dortmund.
#5 Donyell Malen
This might seem a bit far-fetched given how Donyell Malen has fared in his first season in the Bundesliga. However, Borussia Dortmund did pay €30 million to sign him. The expectation was that when the time came for Erling Haaland to leave, his successor would be ready.
Playing for PSV Eindhoven, the Dutchman was a sensation in his three seasons in the Eredivisie, scoring 40 goals and providing 18 assists in 77 appearances.
In that same period, he scored 10 goals in 16 Europa League matches. A centre-forward by nature, he is well and truly capable of playing on either wing and has proven his productivity from the wide positions as well.
Donyell Malen ist unser wichtigster Spieler in der Offensive und das schon seit mehreren Wochen. Er hat zwar nur 7 Scorer, aber er macht mittlerweile so viel fürs Team, läuft immer nach hinten und sucht immer das Tor. Hat dazu viel Pech mit Alutreffern.
#BVB https://t.co/5KQLtldcMW
Erling Haaland's explosive pace with which he runs behind the ball is a big asset in his overall game. Similarly, Malen possesses blistering pace and his work off the ball is commendable, making him a constant danger on the counter-attack.
Borussia Dortmund have provided many young guns with the right environment to grow into their best versions. The 23-year old will feel more valued after the Norwegian striker departs and his responsibilities will increase as well.
Malen has shown in the Dutch top-flight that the quality is there and he will now be eager to prove it in the Bundesliga.
#4 Patrik Schick
Patrick Schick has had the most prolific season of his career and it could only get better as the season progresses. The centre-forward has scored 20 goals in 20 German top-flight appearances for Bayer Leverkusen.
With Erling Haaland on the sidelines for a significant chunk of the season, the Czech Republic striker is with Robert Lewandowski at the top of the goalscorer charts.
Notably, both Schick and the Borussia Dortmund marksman have an impressive strike rate of 1 goal/match. The Leverkusen striker is in his third Bundesliga season, having also represented RB Leipzig in the 2019-20 campaign.
Schick is a more experienced option to invest in. Unlike Malen, who can also find joy from the wider position, Schick is an out-and-out centre-forward.
players have scored more than they have missed 
Mo Salah
Patrik Schick
Raúl de Tomás
@Asensii20 Of players in Europe's top 5 leagues to be presented with 20+ big chances this season, only 3️⃣ players have scored more than they have missed 👀
🇪🇬 Mo Salah
🇨🇿 Patrik Schick
🇪🇸 Raúl de Tomás https://t.co/dYjzSRPhCT
With his performances at Euro 2020, the Czech international proved to be truly capable of delivering on the big occasion and Borussia Dortmund can trust him to deliver. The striker used his tall frame to the best of his advantage and is more or less a traditional target man.
With his clever movement, Schick allowed his fellow attackers to get into dangerous positions by taking the defenders away with him. His impressive pace coupled with his poaching abilities means Borussia Dortmund will not miss Erling Haaland all that much.