Viking superstar could have been playing for Toon
CLUB WATCHED CITY’S NEW BOY IN 2018
NEWCASTLE United could have signed Manchester City’s new marquee signing Erling Haaland for £7m before he really hit the big time.
The Magpies even sent scouts to run the rule over the Norway superstar in July 2018 during his days with Molde, the club represented in the main stand for a 2-1 defeat against Glenavon in the Europa League qualifiers.
Whether the £7m asking price from Molde proved too much for Mike Ashley’s United may now never be answered but certainly Newcastle were invited to something of an auction for his services.
A little context may also be applied too as Haaland signed for Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg a month later for a fee of £7.2m and it was actually Leeds United – the club of his father Alfie – who are also believed to have been close on the deal.
RB Salzburg had certainly done the groundwork on the exciting young Scandanavian, though.
If anything, the deal exposes some of the frustrations for the life of Toon scouts during the previous era.
Finding a talent was one thing but £7m in those days would have been scrutinised for a first-team player let alone an unproven kid!
After just one year at Red Bull it was clear the Bundesliga had a star on their hands with 17 goals in 16 games resulting in Borussia Dortmund coughing up € 20m for him.
Ssince 2020 he really has not looked back with 85 goals in 88 games for Dortmund in all competitions.
Even at £51m, Haaland’s move to City looks like it could be a bargain buy if the 21-year-old can continue his development.
Haaland’s success story is certainly food for thought for United chiefs and situations like this could be cited in any potential scouting revamp when Dan Ashworth eventually gets started.
Another lesson which can be learned from the Haaland deal this week is Dortmund’s work behind the scenes to ensure a replacement was signed on the same day the Norway ace left the club.
In Karim Adeyemi the German side have a striker ready to go to work next season after again joining from Salzburg for a fee of € 30m. Striking up relationships with clubs around Europe will be high on Ashworth’s agenda when he starts work as technical director.
■ QUEENS Park Rangers have indicated they will not follow up Jeff Hendrick’s loan spell at Loftus Road with a permanent offer.
The Republic of Ireland international made seven starts for the London side after leaving Newcastle in January on loan after learning he would not be part of Eddie Howe’s 25-man squad.
Hendrick is one of a potential 32 senior players returning to the club for pre-season with Howe admitting on Sunday players would be leaving this summer.
With Hendrick having two years left of his £50,000-a-week deal, Howe will have a decision to make on a player he has rarely played since coming in s last November.
The midfielder scored the last goal of the Mike Ashley era in the 2-1 autumn loss to Wolves.
A short QPR statement read: “Following the conclusion of our 2021/22 season at Swansea City on Saturday, Sam McCallum, Andre Gray, Dion Sanderson and Jeff Hendrick have now returned to their parent clubs.”
Hendrick has previously made it clear he has no interest in picking up his wages as a non-registered squad player.