Manchester United legend claims Manchester City have a nailed on Ballon d’Or winner at the club

Wayne Rooney believes Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is nailed on to become a Ballon d’Or winner, after establishing himself as ‘the best footballer in the world’.

The 22 year-old striking sensation has been in blistering form under Pep Guardiola from the moment he joined the Etihad club last summer, breaking records across all competitions and making himself by far and away the leading scorer in the Premier League.

Across 42 appearances in all competitions so far this season, Erling Haaland has scored a mind-blowing 48 goals, whilst also providing a further six assists – 24 goal contributions more than any other Manchester City player.

One man who certainly knew how to find the back of the net during his playing days is former Manchester United and England forward Wayne Rooney, who has now been keen to pile on the praise for the blue side of Manchester’s latest superstar.

Writing as part of his latest column for The Times newspaper, Wayne Rooney not only believes Erling Haaland is the best footballer in the world right now, but also predicts the Norway international to go on and become a Ballon d’Or winner.

“Erling Haaland is the best footballer in the world right now,” exclaimed Rooney. “Lionel Messi is the greatest but, at this moment, nobody is playing better than a striker who – even though I broke records in that position myself – takes my breath away with the levels he’s reaching.”

The Manchester United legend continued, “He’s the best in the world because of the numbers he’s posting, the performances he’s putting in and the mentality he shows. If you’re looking at who is going to win the Ballon D’Or then it has got to be him, providing he keeps up his form of this season.

“And why wouldn’t he? A record of 224 goals in 264 games is the mark of a player whose standards don’t drop.”

Two more major Premier League records remain in sight for Erling Haaland this season, as he goes in search of displacing the likes of Andy Cole and Alan Shearer at the top of English football’s history books.

Manchester City’s number nine requires just two more goals to equal, and three to exceed, Andy Cole and Alan Shearer’s record of the most Premier League goals in a single season – which currently stands at a tally of 34, despite being achieved in a 42-game campaign.

Haaland has already equalled the record in a 38-game season, putting himself alongside Mohamed Salah with 32 goals for the campaign.

Haaland has also set a new record for the most goals scored in a debut Premier League season across 38 matches, with Andy Cole only having scored more but in a 42-game season back in 1993/1994.

City next take on Arsenal in the Premier League on Wednesday night, with kick-off scheduled for 8PM UK time.