Erling Haaland explains why he chose Borussia Dortmund over Manchester United
Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland has opened up on his reasons for choosing to join the Bundesliga side this month.
Haaland was one of the most in-demand players in Europe after his exploits for Red Bull Salzburg in the first half of the season.
The 19-year-old scored 28 goals in his 22 appearances for the Austrian outfit in 2019/20.
Dortmund won the race for his signature towards the end of December, with Haaland officially moving to Signal Iduna Park for £17m when the transfer window re-opened on New Year's Day.
Manchester United were among the clubs keen to sign the teenage sensation, but Haaland says he signed for Dortmund because he felt he and the club were a "good match".
They just went direct and said, 'We need you upfront, we like your playing style and we want to have you here'," he told BVB.TV.
"I liked how they spoke to me then and that's what triggered me [to sign]. I just felt that me and Dortmund was a good match."
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Lucien Favre's side are fourth in the Bundesliga table at the midway point of the campaign, seven points adrift of RB Leipzig in top spot.
Haaland will make his debut for BVB when the German top flight returns from its winter break later this month.
And the Norway international has spoken about his short-term aims at Signal Iduna Park.
"To slightly get to know people better, to train good with the team and we'll see if I am good enough I will play and we'll just have to see, step by step," he added.
"Of course, I want to play and I know I have something to give to the team. That's my main goal now to have smaller goals and to reach them and I know it will be good."
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Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).