We have our first major signing of the 2020 January transfer window, as it was announced, literally just minutes ago that Erling Haaland has joined Borussia Dortmund. The Norwegian wonder kid moves for an initial €20 million fee, the amount of his release clause from RB Salzburg. The new deal will keep him at BVB until June 2024.
This is widely considered a major loss for Manchester United, who had been regarded as holding the pole position in the race to acquire the young scoring sensation. United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer managed Haaland when both were at Molde, and OGS had numerous connections via both men having been part of the Norwegian national team.
Transfer rumors have run wild all season long when it comes to Haaland, as the RB Salzburg forward has often lit it up in both this year’s and last year’s UEFA Champions League competition.
He’s been linked with numerous big clubs all across Europe. It was thought that United had had the inside track as they made a formal enquiry and Solskjaer himself had reportedly traveled to meet the 19-year-old scoring sensation’s advisers.
Solskjaer of course threw cold water on the hot topic of signing this classic No. 9, just a week ago, and his words have now proved to be prescient.
“Despite interest from many other top clubs in Europe, Erling Haaland has opted for the sporting challenge that BVB is able to offer as well as the opportunities we presented him with. Our persistence has paid off,” said Borussia Dortmund’s Chief Executive Officer, Hans-Joachim Watzke via club statement.
Dortmund Sporting Director, Michael Zorc added:
“We can all look forward to welcoming an ambitious, athletic and physically strong centre forward who has a nose for goal as well as impressive pace. We want to improve him as a player at Dortmund. At 19 years of age, he is of course still at the beginning of what will hopefully be a glittering career!”
Said Haaland, who has scored 28 goals in 22 games:
“I was involved in intensive discussions with the club’s management and the sporting directors, including Hans-Joachim Watzke, Michael Zorc and manager Lucien Favre in particular.
“I had the feeling that I definitely wanted to transfer to this club, take this path and play in the incredible atmosphere that Dortmund provides in front of more than 80,000 spectators. I literally cannot wait to get started.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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