Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed he told Manchester United to sign Erling Haaland when he would have cost them just £4million – ‘but they didn’t listen’.
Haaland is currently smashing in goals and breaking records for rivals Man City, but it could have been a very different story had Man United paid attention to Solskjaer’s advice.
Haaland has been on fire in his debut season for Man City – but he could be in United red instead had they listened to Solskjaer. Solskjaer offered Man United a gift, but they weren’t interested.
The Old Trafford legend and ex-United manager was in charge at Molde when he contacted his old club to let them know of a prodigious centre-forward he was coaching in his native Norway.
They didn’t heed his call, though, with Haaland eventually moving to RB Salzburg instead, before signing for Borussia Dortmund and then joining City for £50million – with the frontman now rated the most valuable striker in world football at £200million.
“I called United about six months before I took over and told them that I’d got this striker that we had,” said Solskjaer. But they didn’t listen. I only asked for £4m for Haaland but they didn’t sign him.”
Solskjaer’s admission will hurt Red Devils supporters, who have watched on this season as Haaland has banged in the goals for noisy neighbours City, while United have struggled in the No.9 position.
Marcus Rashford is United’s top scorer this season with 29 goals, but the majority of those have come from the left wing.
Wout Weghorst has been United’s most regular player in that centre-forward spot since his arrival on loan in January, but he has scored just two goals in 27 appearances, while Anthony Martial has continued to frustrate.
Haaland, meanwhile, has blasted in a record 35 goals in the Premier League this season – with his total tally currently standing at a ridiculous 51 goals in 47 appearances in all competitions.
His record-breaking form has seen the Norwegian giant named the Football Writers’ Association’s Footballer of the Year – also by record numbers with a huge 82 per cent of the vote.
United’s decision to pass on a young Haaland has certainly cost them, with Erik ten Hag now making signing a world-class No.9 his priority for the summer transfer window.
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