As good as Erling Haaland?! Former Newcastle wonderkid Nile Ranger insists he could have matched Man City forward as he faces up to free agency

Ranger made a name for himself as a promising young player when he broke into the Newcastle first-team at the age of 18, the season they earned promotion to the Premier League.

His career did not go on the trajectory expected of him, however, and he ended up on loan in the Championship with Barnsley for half a season and then spent the remainder of the campaign in League One with Sheffield Wednesday. Since then, he has played for Swindon, Blackpool, Southend, Spalding and Boreham Wood.

The attacker, now 32, says he had the talent to reach the top of the game and feels he shared many similarities with Manchester City star Haaland, who scored 52 goals to help fire Pep Guardiola's side to the European and English treble last season.

However, Ranger admits his behaviour and refusal to listen to the advice he was given early in his career hindered him.

"There needs to be a movie on my life because it’s a real one, it’s an interesting one," he told The Athletic. "I have players coming to me saying: ‘What happened? What’s wrong with you? With your talent, what are you doing?’ I made my bed and now I have to lie in it. I feel frustrated. I know what I can do but it’s deeper than that because I’ve had so many chances. I didn’t take in the advice.

"I should be minimum Championship right now. I shouldn’t be having problems but I didn’t listen. If I added nutrition to my game and behaviour, I’m Haaland. But I didn’t want to listen. I thought I knew it all."

He continued: "Every club I’ve had, even as an adult, my mum has had to come in — because they respect her — to see if it could work as a last throw of the dice. She is my life coach, she’s probably disappointed deep down I didn’t really go higher… but she always says: ‘Listen, we had a blast, no matter what’."

Now a free agent since leaving Boreham Wood, he is eager to find a new club, adding: "I know I’m very good at football, people can play to 38 or 39. I can still play. I want to get back then I can climb. I’ve got to go and show what I can do or I’m going to get to an age where I can’t move. It catches up with you."

The Englishman will continue his search for a new club as he looks to get back on the field before long.