How Haaland reacted when Odegaard suggested Arsenal move
FT Desk
- Updated: 7 Aug 2022 08:07 BST
- 3 min read
Martin Odegaard made a plea for Norway international team-mate Erling Haaland to join him at Arsenal this summer, when he was leaving Borussia Dortmund.
Judging by the striker's reaction, though, he did not take the words of the former Real Madrid playmaker too seriously and he would ultimately join Manchester City in one of the summer's biggest blockbuster moves.
The €60 million fee that he moved for is widely considered to have been an absolute bargain but came about because he had a release clause in his contract with BVB, where he scored close to a goal per game over a stay that lasted two-and-a-half years.
The 22-year-old is now expected to make his Premier League debut against West Ham on Sunday.
Arsenal have already opened their league campaign with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, and they were led out by newly installed captain Odegaard, who has played nearly 20 games alongside Haaland for their native Norway.
Erling Haaland debut.
Erling Haaland goal.
He’s a machine 🤖 pic.twitter.com/TVjKov0HM0— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) July 24, 2022
Odegaard tried to tempt Haaland to join him at the Emirates last season when it became clear that his long-term future lay beyond the Bundesliga, but according to the attacking midfielder that was never anything more than a pipedream.
"He's a great guy, great player and I think unfortunately for us he'll be a great signing for Manchester City," Odegaard said of Haaland to talkSPORT. "For sure, he'll score some goals. I wish him all the best except for when we play them! It'll be fun to see him in England.
Odegaard: 'He just laughed!'
"When all the Arsenal fans were posting pictures of him and me I would send it to him. I tried, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough. He just laughed!"
Haaland got off the mark for Man City against Bayern Munich in pre-season, but he missed a sitter against Liverpool in the Community Shield last Saturday, something his father - former City midfielder Alfe Inge Haaland - was quick to remind him about.
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"After the Community Shield he sent me a message that said, 'Why didn't you just score?'" Haaland Junior explained in an interview with Alan Shearer on Football Focus.
"Before I played against Liverpool at Anfield for Salzburg he said, 'For your info, I've scored at Anfield before, so I have more goals at Anfield than you.'"
Haaland and Odegaard will get the first chance to go head-to-head when City travel to Arsenal's Emirates Stadium on 20 October.
