Solskjaer SLAMS Glazers for TWICE rejecting legendary goalscorer

Carlo Garganese

• 6 Mar 2024 11:30 GMT
• 3 min read

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has slammed Manchester United’s owners for twice rejecting his request to sign Erling Haaland.

Solskjaer managed Haaland at Molde and gave the striker his professional debut at the age of 16.

From that moment, Solskjaer was certain that Haaland was destined for the very top.

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He told United to sign Haaland while the striker was at Molde and then again when he was at Salzburg.

On both occasions the Glazers - Man Utd’s owners - ignored Solskjaer.

READ MORE: Latest Man Utd transfer news

What did Solskjær say?

“The summer before I got here [joined Manchester United], I rang the club and said 'You've got to sign this boy - he'll be top class'.

“That was June/July 2018, and they said no - they had enough reports on players.

“After that, Molde had sold Haaland to RB Salzburg. I tell the club [United] straight away to buy him while he has a release clause.

“We knew that then, and no one else would've paid the money - €20m (£17m), it would've been a bargain.

“Even though with his links with Alfie [Haaland], and Manchester City and Leeds.

“It was the club's decision to not go for it then.

“We never made bids or went in for him, until after he started scoring for Salzburg. By then, Borussia Dortmund were there, Juventus were there, everyone was there.

“His release clause then was still good - €60m.

“He’s got more than just being a great lad.

“He's such a team player, and one-on-one with a keeper, he doesn't think about his own stats.

“He passes if someone else is through and it'll be a 100% goal. He's a gem.”

United’s decision to ignore Solskjær has proved to be a costly one.

He has developed into arguably the best striker in the world, scoring over 250 career goals for club and country already at the age of 23.

Since joining Man City in the summer of 2022, Haaland has scored an incredible 80 goals in 84 appearances.