Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed he twice tried to get Manchester United to sign Erling Haaland but they refused.
Erling Haaland has gone on to become the best striker in football and his remarkable 52 goals in 53 games fired Manchester City to a treble triumph last season.
City moved to sign the Norwegian sensation from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 in a masterstroke of a signing.
But Haaland’s career could have looked very different if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had his way and got him signed at Manchester United instead.
Solskjaer helped nurture the 23-year-old when he was a teenager at Molde and knew even then he was destined for greatness.
Solskjaer on trying to sign Haaland for United
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Solskjaer said: “Two seasons more or less [he managed Haaland].
“The summer before I got here [United]. I rang the club and said: ‘You’ve got to sign this boy. He will be top. Absolutely top class.’
“That was June, July 2018, and they said: ‘nah, we’ve got enough reports.’
“Okay, no problem. Then I became the caretaker and they [Molde] sold him so Salzburg.
“I tell the club straight away. Buy him. Straight away.
“Because he didn’t play for him for three or four months, just sign him now because he’s got a release clause.
“We knew that and no one else then would have paid that money. 20 million euros.
“It would have been a bargain. Even at that time with links to Alfie and City and Leeds, maybe I think…
“It was the club’s decision not to go for him then, we never made bids or never went in for him until after they realised when he started scoring for Salzburg but then Dortmund were there, Juventus were there, everyone was there.
“It was another release clause that was not bad. I had him for 18 months, sign him. You know then.”
It hurts to hear
This one really stings. Everyone knows United tried their hardest to sign Haaland before he joined Borussia Dortmund but pulled out due to frustrations over agent fees and sell-on clauses.
However, it turns out United had not just one but two chances to sign Haaland before he burst onto the scene with his first Champions League goals for Salzburg.
It hurts, especially with the success Haaland has gone on to have on the other side of the city.
But would he have gone on to become the incredible player he is at United?
Some talents may be undeniable regardless of their environment but United have swallowed up and spat out several prospects who looked guaranteed world-beaters over the years. Just look at Jadon Sancho.
But, at least he wouldn’t have won the treble for City.
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