Manchester United youngster Isak Hansen-Aaroen is benefitting from a change in environment over the international break.
At the weekend he was part of United’s under-21 side which suffered defeat against City.
This week Isak Hansen-Aaroen has been with Norway’s under-19 squad and he played a key role in their first win of the break.
Hansen-Aaroen led Norway’s 19s to a 4-0 victory over Romania in their first Euro under-19s qualifier.
Isak Hansen-Aaroen stars
Isak Hansen-Aaroen scored in the fourth minute to set Norway on route to a one-sided home victory.
Hansen-Aaroen also provided an assist as Norway went on to win 4-0. This was his third goal at under-19s level after a brace against North Macedonia last year.
He had also scored eight goals for Norway’s youth sides through under-15s to under-18s levels.
Manchester United signed Hansen-Aaroen from Tromso in 2020, where he had already made his first team debut at 15.
Like fellow Norwegian talent Martin Odegaard, the playmaker is an early developer, who Manchester United need to push out on loan to challenge him.
The club should also be patient with him, mindful of Odegaard’s very un-linear journey in his development which has seen him blossom this year at the age of 24.
Hansen-Aaroen played a key role in United’s FA Youth Cup win in 2022, and has gone onto score three times for the under-21 side this season.
In December he featured on Erik ten Hag‘s winter tour in Spain and was selected to start against Real Betis after Donny van de Beek dropped out injured.
Hansen-Aaroen’s Norway under-19s have a tough fixture upcoming this weekend against France under-19s in their qualifiers. The team will be looking to him to produce something special.