According to a recent report by The Evening Standard, Borussia Dortmund goal machine Erling Haaland is still on Manchester United’s radar even though his agent Mino Raiola has ruled out a summer exit from Signal Iduna Park. In a recent interview with Marca, Raiola shed some light on his client’s future and said, “He’s a very important gem.
“Nobody thought that his adaptation to the Bundesliga and the Champions League in a team like Borussia Dortmund would be like that. No one expected it.
“It’s not easy to go from Austria to Germany and show that level.
“He has a lot to improve yet. He’ll be at Dortmund for as long as he needs to be.
“It’s true that he is a footballer who is anticipating the stages of growth faster than you might think.
“I don’t think that when he left [Red Bull] Salzburg, it was the right time, but… I don’t think he’ll be leaving Dortmund this summer.”
The Leeds-born forward’s current contract has a release clause which is understood to be in the region of £50m, so he will be an affordable option for the Red Devils in the future.
Haaland’s Incredible Goal-Scoring Record This Season
Haaland has enjoyed a terrific start to life at Dortmund after putting in several goal-scoring displays for them since arriving from Red Bull Salzburg back in January. He has registered 16 goals and six assists in 14 appearances in the Bundesliga which took his tally for the season to 40 goals and nine assists in 33 matches for Salzburg and Dortmund.
Following his arrival in Germany, the Norwegian striker has averaged 2.4 shots, 0.6 key passes and 0.9 dribbles per 90 minutes of league football (stats via whoscored). His stats go to show how prolific he has been for Dortmund in front of the opposition goal. The 19-year-old has also earned two senior caps for the Norwegian national side and is expected to play a crucial role for his country in next year’s UEFA Nations League.
What Will The Norwegian International Bring To The Table?
Haaland is blessed with blistering pace and has transformed himself into an unforgiving finisher in the final third. He excels at finding the back of the net consistently at the highest level. The talented goal-getter was responsible for scoring both his team’s goals in the 2-1 first-leg victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League last month. He is a decent dribbler and has the strength to hold the ball up and overpower the opposition inside their own box. The Norwegian youngster also packs a lot of power with his shot attempts which explains how he has banged in so many goals this season.
What Should Be Solskjaer’s Play Here?
Haaland has the potential to be a generational talent, so Man United will be foolish to drop their interest in the player. Even if Dortmund refuses to sell him this summer, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be wise to be patient and only make a move when he has a realistic shot of landing the talented teenager. So if that means having to wait for the striker to be available in the summer of 2021, the Red Devils head coach should consider doing so as Haaland will be well worth it. At 19, he is undeniably a gem in the making so a future move to Old Trafford will give him the platform to challenge for the Ballon d’Or in the future.
