Erling Haaland is an exceptional football player who combines pace, power, and physicality.
Despite his height of 194 cm, he possesses explosive quickness and delicate skill.
Haaland has scored an impressive number of goals for different teams, including Red Bull Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund, and Manchester City.
He even scored nine goals once in a single U20 game for Norway and has a record of 21 goals in 23 appearances for the senior team.
Haaland is a reliable scorer. He has netted a remarkable 42 goals for Man City this season and 41 for Dortmund in his first entire season with the club.
Unsurprisingly, many clubs are searching for a player like Haaland, although finding someone with his rare physical traits is not easy.
Atalanta may have found their next Haaland in Rasmus Højlund, which is similar to the Manchester City goal machine.
Rasmus Højlund Profile
Højlund is 185 cm tall, possesses a powerful left foot, and shares a brutish quality in the final third.
Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini has praised the 20-year-old’s spirit, energy, intensity, and technical quality, which he believes can be improved.
Rasmus Højlund is a complete forward with a determined mindset and a killer instinct in front of the goal.
He is a versatile attacking player who can operate on the wing, as a second striker or even as an attacking midfielder.
Given his size, Højlund’s agility, coordination, and decent pace make him a significant attacking threat, particularly when paired with a pacy strike partner.
Rasmus Højlund Heatmap At Atalanta 2022/23
Højlund is quick — with a time of under 11 seconds over 100m — and has a low centre of gravity that allows him to move his legs very fast despite his height.
Højlund moved to Atalanta’s Gewiss Stadium this summer in a deal worth around €17m after being transferred from Copenhagen to Sturm Graz for €1.8m.
The move to Austria reinvigorated his career, and he has been on the rise ever since.
Rasmus Højlund: A Goalscoring Machine
During the 2021-22 season, Rasmus Højlund played 1156 minutes for Sturm Graz and scored six goals out of an expected 5.2.
Despite his limited playing time, his shot map revealed that he had a knack for finding high-value goalscoring areas. Most of his strikes came from inside the penalty area.
With an xG per shot average of 0.20, only eight other players performed better than Højlund throughout the season.
These underlying statistics suggest he has a reliable and genuine goalscoring ability, with a one-in-five chance of scoring from his attempts.
Højlund has successfully transferred his playing style to a more challenging league, as indicated by his shot map and underlying numbers, which are pretty similar.
Even in Serie A, where he has played for 1309 minutes this season, he has scored seven goals, almost hitting his expected goal (xG) of 6.8.
His xG per shot average of 0.19 remains consistent with his performance for Sturm Graz.
It’s worth noting that Højlund has only attempted two shots from beyond the penalty area this season in Serie A, both within two yards of the box.
Rasmus Højlund Shots: Sturm Graz 2021/22 X Atalanta 2022/23
As Højlund receives the ball just beyond the halfway line, he notices his teammate on the left and an opponent standing between him and the goal.
While most players would pass to the left and wait for the ball to be crossed for an easy goal, the Danish striker decides to dribble past the defender.
He sprints past the opposition players trying to catch up with him, takes an extra touch to settle himself, and calmly slots the ball into the net, almost grazing the underside of the crossbar.
Although it was a difficult finish, he made it look effortless, displaying his excellent technique and composure in front of the goal.
In this example, it’s worth noting that in addition to his evident speed, Højlund demonstrates the ability to take an extra touch to get the ball into the penalty area.
This may seem like a simple manoeuvre, but even the most experienced strikers can become flustered when approaching the goal, leading them to take rushed shots from outside the box.
Højlund forces the goalkeeper to engage with him by taking the extra touch, creating a window of opportunity to shoot.
This approach brings him closer to the goal, catches the keeper off guard, and makes for an audacious yet effective strike.
In essence, everything he does during this phase of play is designed to maximise his chances of scoring in a way reminiscent of Haaland’s style.
Rasmus Højlund: Positioning & Movement Pattern
Højlund shares another similarity with Haaland in his game: the eagerness to position himself in central areas.
Some strikers tend to roam into wider spaces to create room for themselves.
However, even when playing in different tactical systems at Atalanta, Højlund remains inclined towards central areas, much like his time at Sturm Graz.
In fact, a comparison of his touch maps between the two clubs reveals a striking similarity.
Rasmus Højlund Touch Map: Sturm Graz 2021/22 X Atalanta 2022/23
One of Højlund’s greatest strengths is his ability to sniff out a goal in any situation.
He often moves deep into midfield and draws defenders with him to create and exploit spaces for his teammates.
Højlund possesses very impressive mid-range and long-range shooting skills with his left foot and is capable of holding up the ball for teammates to provide them with assists when playing with his back to goal.
Thanks to his pace and acceleration, he is extremely dangerous on the counter and knows how to use his body to shield the ball from defenders.
Højlund prioritizes high-value chances over low-value shots and always seeks to position himself advantageously.
In a recent game, Højlund started deep but quickly moved up the pitch to take on a central attacking position.
He was rewarded for his effort when, after receiving a cross, he poked the ball into the net from close range.
By actively seeking out better positions, Højlund’s work rate produces several excellent opportunities per season, just like Haaland.
This is why Haaland’s goals often appear to be simple tap-ins.
Rasmus Højlund vs Erling Haaland: What Sets Them Apart
Although the two players share many similarities, including their physicality and playing styles, they also have notable differences due to their roles within their respective teams and their strengths and weaknesses.
For instance, Højlund is not yet as prolific a shooter as Haaland, averaging only 2.2 shots per 90 minutes across his time at Sturm Graz and Atalanta, an xG per 90 of 0.42.
By contrast, Haaland averaged 3.6 shots per 90 minutes and an xG per 90 minutes of 0.89 during his time at Red Bull Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund, and Manchester City.
Moreover, Haaland’s shots per game are increasing year on year.
It must also be considered that the teams they’re playing for will impact this.
Interestingly, Højlund has a slightly higher tendency to take headed shots, with 15% compared to Haaland’s 12%.
He is also more willing to use his weaker foot, with nearly 20% of his attempts coming from his right foot, while only 16% of Haaland’s shots have been with his right foot.
Rasmus Højlund Vs Erling Haaland: Profile Comparison
While Højlund may not be as deadly as Haaland, his diverse shot selection suggests he can be a versatile and unpredictable scorer. His recent performance for Denmark, where he scored five goals in two games, including a hat-trick against Finland, further underscores his potential.
Rasmus Højlund Potential Destinations
After reviewing the previous section, it becomes clear that Højlund is not a carbon copy of Haaland, although they share some key similarities.
Suppose we are considering potential Tier 1 (English Premier League, German Bundesliga, Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A, and French Ligue 1) transfer options for Højlund. In that case, we should focus on clubs where he could potentially replace players.
After utilizing our xGold tool, we have identified FC Bayern Munich as an excellent option for Højlund.
He possesses a similar playing style to Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who is already 34 years old and has shown high injury susceptibility this season.
Furthermore, FC Bayern Munich is actively seeking a new striker.
Rasmus Højlund Vs Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting: Profile Comparison
Although Choupo-Moting takes more shots and appears to be more effective in link-up play, Højlund demonstrates more potential in carrying the ball.
Additionally, Højlund is more efficient in the opposition’s penalty area and provides a more significant aerial presence.
Conclusion
Overall, Rasmus Højlund is an impressive attacking player with a range of skills that make him a valuable asset to any team.
His versatility, technical ability, and killer instinct in front of goal make him a player who can create a tremendous striking partnership with a pacey auxiliary striker.
If he continues to receive regular minutes, he has the potential to be a top-class striker in any league he plays in.
Although he still needs to refine certain aspects of his game, such as his link-up play, regular playing time will help him improve.
With his intelligent movement, power, pace, and ability to score a range of goals, Højlund could soon follow Haaland’s footsteps to the Premier League and make a significant impact or choose FC Bayern as his next step.
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