Manchester City began the 2025/26 season with a point to prove after a disappointing campaign last year, where they finished 13 points behind champions Liverpool.
Pep Guardiola’s side were uncharacteristically inconsistent, struggling for rhythm and creativity.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reacts after the match
This summer brought change. In came Rayan Cherki, Tiijani Reinders, and Rayan Aït-Nouri to refresh an aging squad, while a handful of younger talents were sent out on loan to gain experience.
City’s start to the new season has been mixed - four wins, a draw, and two losses after seven Premier League games - but one constant has been the form of Erling Haaland.
After scoring the decisive goal in the 1-0 win over Brentford on Sunday, Haaland looks back to his devastating best.
And while he dominates the present, Guardiola’s eyes are firmly on the future.
Most notably, on a 20-year-old striker currently making waves in the Championship.
Erling Haaland's stunning form in numbers
At 25 years old, Haaland remains the spearhead of Manchester City’s attack and arguably the most feared finisher in world football.
Manchester-City-Erling-Haaland
Valued at around £165m by Transfermarkt, the Norwegian forward has already scored nine goals in the Premier League this season, adding three more in the Champions League.
His sharpness in front of goal was evident again on Sunday when he scored in the ninth minute to secure three points against a stubborn Brentford side.
Haaland’s record in Manchester speaks for itself: 136 goals in 155 appearances.
His power, timing, and composure make him the ultimate reference point for Pep Guardiola’s tactical structure, even as the manager experiments with a refreshed lineup.
Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates scoring their third goal with Oscar Bobb and Tijjani Reijnders
Beyond his finishing, Haaland’s work rate and movement continue to set the standard for the squad’s younger forwards.
Crucially, his form could be what drags the club back into the title race. For club and country, he's netted a staggering 16 goals in his last nine matches.
Erling Haaland - 2025/26
Matches Played
Goals
Assists
Progressive Carries
Progressive Passes
Source: FBref
Yet behind the scenes, there is an understanding at the Etihad that Haaland won’t shoulder the burden forever.
The club’s long-term planning is already underway—and that’s where one of England’s most promising young strikers enters the conversation.
Manchester City's future Haaland
Divin Mubama may not yet be a household name among Premier League fans, but those following the Championship will know the Manchester City loanee is beginning to deliver on his potential.
The 20-year-old, who joined City from West Ham after rising through the Hammers’ academy, has impressed on loan at Stoke City - scoring twice while wearing the No.9 shirt.
Stoke currently sit fifth in the Championship, and Mubama has been pivotal to their early-season form.
Having played in all nine matches so far, he’s shown maturity beyond his years.
Analysts predicted his success before a ball was kicked, with Ben Mattinson claiming he would be “one of the best in the Championship” if given a full loan spell.
West Ham striker target Divin Mubama
Statistically, Mubama’s profile is hugely promising. Compared to positional peers in Eurpe, he ranks in the 86th percentile for successful take-ons (1.08 per 90 minutes), showing his confidence to beat defenders; the 91st percentile for tackles (1.21 per 90), evidence of his work ethic out of possession; and the 99th percentile for interceptions (0.54 per 90), highlighting his reading of the game.
Physically strong and dominant in the air, he also ranks in the 73rd percentile for aerial duels won (3.09 per 90) and 76th for blocks (0.81 per 90).
Internationally, Mubama has been capped at every youth level for England and made his U21 debut in a 2-0 win against Kazakhstan.
At club level, his rise has been steady. He scored 16 goals in 14 games for City’s U21s and already has senior experience in Europe, having featured for West Ham in both the Europa League and the Conference League - the latter of which he helped win in 2023.
He even marked his first senior goal for City in an emphatic 8-0 FA Cup victory over Salford City, a glimpse of what might lie ahead.
Manchester City's James McAtee celebrates scoring their fifth goal with Phil Foden and Divin Mubama
Mubama’s blend of technical ability, movement, and physicality makes him the ideal apprentice to Haaland.
The two strikers, though at different stages of their careers, embody Guardiola’s long-term vision: an emphasis on power, precision, and adaptability.
With Mubama’s performances at Stoke drawing praise and Haaland rediscovering his lethal edge, Manchester City’s attacking future looks secure.
If the young Englishman continues his upward trajectory, he could well be the next great forward to define Manchester City’s modern era.