Why was Man City’s signing of Erling Haaland so important?

Manchester City have already pulled off one of the transfer coups of the summer with confirmation they have agreed a deal with Borussia Dortmund for the signing of Erling Haaland.

The boyhood City fan and son of former player Alf-Inge Haaland finally answers City’s need for a striker to replace Sergio Aguero, and registers as a huge statement signing.

Here the PA news agency looks at what it might all mean for City.

– Is this City’s biggest ever signing?

Ruben Dias, Rodri, Riyad Mahrez, Joao Cancelo, Aymeric Laporte and Kevin De Bruyne all cost more too.

– What kind of statement does his signing make?This feels bigger than the arrival of Sergio Aguero from Atletico Madrid in 2011, or the deadline day deal for Robinho that heralded the start of the revolution under Sheikh Mansour’s ownership.

City have beaten the likes of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich to sign a player that pretty much all of Europe wanted and whose goalscoring prowess could be the missing piece in their pursuit of Champions League glory.

– Why was signing a striker so important?

This season Gabriel Jesus, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, Mahrez and Ferran Torres have all played as a false nine, but now City have a real one.

– How will he be accommodated into the starting XI?Pep Guardiola must sacrifice an attacking midfielder – and potentially some of the control that brings – but will get a goal machine in return.

The change in shape could also benefit academy product Liam Delap, 19, who will have a more obvious place in the team as Haaland’s back-up.

– When will we first get to see him in a City shirt?

Assuming the countless images on social media of a young Haaland wearing over-sized City shirts throughout his