Manchester United to face intense competition for Salzburg youngster Erling Braut Haaland

Erling Haaland

The 19-year-old has come to the attention of Europe’s top clubs this season after starting the campaign in remarkable form.

Haaland, the son of former Manchester City, Leeds and Nottingham Forest defender Alf-Inge Haaland, has scored 22 goals in 15 appearances across all competitions.

That includes six strikes in three Champions League games, including a hat-trick against Genk and a goal against European champions Liverpool during his side’s 4-3 defeat at Anfield in October.

According to the Guardian, Manchester United and Juventus are at the front of a line of more than 20 clubs keeping tabs on the youngster.

Juve sporting director Fabio Paratici made a push to sign him from Molde in the summer of 2018 for €6 million but failed in his efforts, as Haaland didn’t want to be reduced to a place on the bench or sent away on loan.

The striker worked under United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Molde for two seasons and he has long been of interest to the Old Trafford club.

The Premier League giants have sent scouts to watch him on several occasions, but the list of clubs they could face competition from includes not only Juve, but Barcelona, Real Madrid,Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and others.

Haaland is currently the top scorer in the Champions League and has increased his value with his performances in Europe.

The Norway international now has a price tag of around €40 million, although Salzburg are confident that they can earn more than €60m from his sale next summer.

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Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. When not pulling on the FFT shirt, he can be found at Reuters, The Times and the i. An Italophile since growing up on a diet of Football Italia on Channel 4, he now counts himself among thousands of fans sharing a passion for Ross County and Lazio.