United snubbed chance to buy Haaland for £7m
NEWCASTLE United could have signed Manchester City’s new marquee signing Erling Haaland – for just £7million.
The Magpies snubbed the chance to make a move for the Norwegian superstar back in 2018 when he played for Molde in his homeland.
Earlier this week it was revealed that Pep Guardiola’s City are now ready to meet the big-money release clause in Haaland’s Borussia Dortmund contract.
However, things could have been very different if the Magpies had taken a chance four years ago.
Scouts watched the striking sensation during a Europa League qualifier against Northern Ireland side Glenavon and the club was invited to bid from him.
However, the Mike Ashley-owned Magpies declined to make a bid, with Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg snapping him up for £7.2million. Leeds United, for whom his father Alf-Inge played, were also in the hunt but were at that point still in the Championship.
Haaland joined Salzburg in January 2019, just months after Newcastle spent £9.5million on Japanese flop Yoshinori Muto (right).
The former Mainz man was paid off last year while the Scandinavian star has become one of the hottest properties in world football.
After just one year at Red Bull in which he scored 17 goals in 16 league games and eight goals in seven European matches, Haaland moved to the Germany and proceeded to dominate the Bundesliga in much the same way as he had the Austrian league.
Dortmund coughed up EUR20million (£17.1m) for Haaland in January 2020 and he hasn’t looked back, with 85 goals in 88 games for Die Schwarzgelben in all competitions.
Even at £51million Haaland’s move to Man 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 that 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 EUR30million (£25.7million).
Striking up relationships with clubs around Europe will be high on Ashworth’s agenda when he starts work as technical director.