Borussia Dortmund forward Erling Haaland's imminent future has taken yet another twist with reports indicating Manchester City are set to trigger his £75million release clause this summer. The 21-year-old forward has been in blistering form once again this season and has quickly emerged as one of football's hottest prospects.
Given his blistering pace, superb strength and a deadly eye for goal too, it is no wonder why the current Premier League leaders are doing all they can to try and potentially try and land the striker later this year. Of course well documented that Haaland was indeed born here in Leeds, the former Molde man has also been spotted numerous times donning merchandise of the club given his dad's spell at Elland Road between 1997 and 2000.
Having made no secret for his love of the club too along the way, the reception he would potentially receive here in West Yorkshire (should his move materialise further this year) would be interesting to say the very least.
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In one of his first interviews as a then 16-year-old back in 2017, the Norwegian first let slip on his desire to play for United as he spoke to local TV outlet, Aftenposten.
“I want to be the best possible. The dream is to win the Premier League with Leeds. In addition, the goal is to become a better player than dad was. I hope to be able to get more international matches than he did,'' said the former RB Salzburg forward.
Following photos on social media of Haaland signing a retro Leeds shirt emerged, the rumours began to intensify tenfold. So much so, the striker played down the transfer talk during his first few months with current club Dortmund.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, before appearing to refuse to answer a follow-up question relating to his dream to win the Premier League with the Whites, as he briefly spoke to France Football in March 2020.
Opting to swap shirts with Stuart Dallas following Norway's 5-1 victory over Northern Ireland in September of the same year, the heavily courted superstar again got United fans mouths-watering by lauding praise the way of the Whites number 15.
“I think he is a great player and the best player out there today,” he began. “I’m not one for swapping shirts,” Dallas told talkSPORT. “I like to keep my own shirt, no matter who I play against.
“He walked behind me and asked about swapping shirts. It probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do, because we’d just been beaten 5-1 and I’m laughing on camera. It probably didn’t look too good. I thought he meant inside, but he shouted at me and asked to do it now.
“We did it and then he leaned into me and said, ‘Marching on together! It was a bit strange. I’ve known the Leeds connection with his father and it was nice he wanted my shirt.”
He added: “What a player he is and hopefully we will see him in the Premier League one day with Leeds.”
