Macaulay Langstaff: Notts County striker flattered by Erling Haaland & Jamie Vardy comparisons
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Awards 'icing on the cake' for Langstaff
Macaulay Langstaff is scoring like Erling Haaland and being touted as the next Jamie Vardy, while making history with National League leaders Notts County.
The Magpies striker is the only player in England's top five divisions to match Manchester City's Haaland for league goals this season - both hitting 15 to date - and on Monday became the first person ever to win back-to-back National League player of the month awards.
The 25-year-old's form has attracted the attention of Championship clubs, with talk of him being the next £1m non-league player who could emulate Vardy - who went from Fleetwood to then second-tier Leicester City for that sum at the same age a decade ago.
"It's another name to be compared to and it's good to be compared to these types of players," Langstaff told BBC East Midlands Today.
"Vardy's story, to go from non-league to the Premier League, is very rare. It's an overused term, but if he's done it then anyone can do it."
With Langstaff catching the eye of his head coach during a media interview, County boss Luke Williams joked that the striker was worth "in the region of £20m", before going on to say it would take a "staggering figure" for them to consider selling him.
"We are fortunate that we don't need to raise capital, so we would be foolish to let Macca go for anything less than what is a really incredible sum," Williams said.
"He is playing his part in a team performing to a very good level, and at this moment we sit top of the league.
"For us to cash in for Macca would be ridiculous, unless it is a figure that is able to change the club's fortunes for the foreseeable future."
Langstaff says it has been impossible to escape the attention his goals and his nickname of the 'non-league Haaland' has generated.
"Friends are texting me every week saying he [Haaland] is catching me," Langstaff said.
"Being recognised more when I'm out is strange and not something I'm used to. But it's good attention I suppose."
The prolific forward, whose 32 goals for Gateshead last season earned him the move from the National League North club to County in the summer, has previously said the links with famous names instils him with confidence.
What he won't do, is allow it to become a distraction as he tries to return the Magpies to the English Football League after a four-year absence.
"I want to do the best job I can for Notts," he said.
"I do see the talk [of transfer interest], but I'm 13 games into a three-year contract with Notts. They signed me in the summer and gave me a platform. They have really backed me to prove myself at a high level, so it would be a little disrespectful to speak about any other club.
"I've not really thought how high up the leagues I can go, it is more that I have aspiration to play at the highest level possible."
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