Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s transfer admission on Tuesday is a sucker-punch for supporters.
Erling Haaland pictured at Manchester United’s Old Trafford (Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Manchester United’s interest in Erling Haaland was common knowledge among supporters.
However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reiteration of his desire to sign Manchester City’s talisman on Tuesday will have been a sucker-punch for United supporters who have witnessed their centre-forward woes in the years that have followed.
Many have tried to fill this void, Romelu Lukaku appeared to have all the characteristics when he joined from Everton but his time ended poorly. Anthony Martial has also shown signs of greater promise however his inconsistent form and injury proneness have stopped him in his tracks.
The inability to solve this issue earlier came back to bite in Erik ten Hag’s first season at the club with Cristiano Ronaldo gone and money low, Wout Weghorst was brought in to solve the issue and this went as well as expected. But this could have all been avoided if Solskjaer had been backed.
In an interview with The Athletic, the Norwegian explained he wanted to sign Haaland before he made his RB Salzburg debut. While it seems impossible at this stage to picture Haaland at United, there was an opportunity for the Reds to pounce.
Back in 2019, the forward spoke about Solskjaer and the influence he had on his career at Molde. He said: “[Solskjaer] has had a huge impact on my life, both as a person and as a trainer.
“He won the Champions League and was an incredibly good player. He has taught me a lot.
“I have dreamed of playing for the best clubs in the world my whole life, and I especially like English football.”
Fast forward to 2022 and when asked by Gary Neville for Sky Sports why he didn’t sign for United, Haaland abruptly responded: “You would have to ask him [Solskjaer].” While it is easy to look back with hindsight on what could have been at Old Trafford, it is difficult to work out why the Norwegian did not move to red half of Manchester.
Ultimately, it is a failing of those who were at the top of the club. United may have found their solution in Rasmus Hojlund this summer but it has come at a greater cost than it may have done under the reign of Solskjaer.
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