Friday brought some interesting developments in regards to Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer.
Shearer, of course, is not only a Newcastle icon but is one of the greatest players to ever lace up a pair of boots in the Premier League.
The Newcastle United legend is the top scorer in the competition’s history, having bagged a stunning 260 goals in 441 games between 1992 and 2006.
Still, at some point, that record will probably go.
With that in mind, news that Erling Haaland has signed a long-term new contract at Manchester City is interesting.
Haaland is already on 79 goals in 87 games in the competition and would surely be among the favourites to break the record now he’s set to stay in England until the summer of 2034.
Shearer, however, believes two other players could in fact take the record off him before City’s Norwegian star.
Alan Shearer names the two players who could break his record before Erling Haaland
Speaking to BBC Sport, Shearer suggested either Harry Kane or Mohamed Salah could overtake him first.
Kane is second behind Shearer in the all-time standings with 213 but of course left English football for Bayern Munich in 2023. Salah, meanwhile, sits down in seventh with 175 but is out of contract with Liverpool at the end of the season.
Shearer, however, is of the belief that either man could do it before Haaland should they either return or continue in the Premier League.
“I don’t think anyone saw that coming, an incredibly long contract. Congrats to him but it is a bit of a surprise,” he said.
“If he stays for that long no doubt he will break that record [all-time top scorer in the Premier League]. It might be someone else’s by then – like Harry Kane or Mo Salah.
“But there is no doubt if, and a big if, because such a long contract and takes him to 34, he should have a Premier League record goal-scoring wise.
“It’s good news for the Premier League because we want all the best players in our league, not so good for the defenders who are going to be chasing his tail for many years to come.”
Erling Haaland has already broken a Newcastle United record
Whether or not Haaland is indeed the man to overtake Shearer or not, the City star has already broken all manner of records in English football.
Back in May 2023, Haaland broke Andy Cole’s record of most goals in a single League season, when he bagged his 35th of what was his debut season.
Still, with Alexander Isak in record-breaking form himself, what’s to say the Sweden star couldn’t scale similar heights?
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