ERLING HAALAND SAID Borussia Dortmund’s plan “triggered” him to pick the Bundesliga side instead of Premier League giants Manchester United.
Highly rated Norwegian striker Haaland signed a four-and-a-half-year deal with Dortmund, despite strong interest from Man Utd.
Man Utd, along with RB Leipzig and Juventus, were among the admirers of Haaland – who scored 28 goals in 22 appearances across all competitions for Salzburg this season.
Haaland revealed why he opted to join Dortmund, with the 19-year-old sensation saying: “They just went direct and said, ‘We need you upfront, we like your playing style and we want to have you here’.
“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.”
Haaland joins a Dortmund side fourth in the Bundesliga and seven points behind leaders Leipzig after 17 games.
Lucien Favre’s Dortmund do not return action until 18 January due to the mid-season break.
“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,” Haaland said of his aims at Dortmund.
“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.”
Haaland’s agent Mino Raiola revealed his client has the most discussions with United, but the striker felt that moving to the Theatre of Dreams wouldn’t be the right decision.
“They spoke to him the most. Everybody had the chance to talk to him in person. We let that happen especially when he knows Ole,” Raiola told The Telegraph .
“Clearly he felt that at this moment it was not the right step in his career. There is nothing against Manchester United or Ole.
“He chose Borussia Dortmund ahead of them and other clubs and I’m very happy because he is going to the club he wanted to go to and that is best for him right now.
“If he wanted to go to Manchester United I would have been obliged to take him to Manchester United, but he did not.”
Is son injured? have a feeling Ajax might win this one
@Nathan Mawhinney: Suspended
@Nathan Mawhinney: suspended for the first leg
@Nathan Mawhinney: son is suspended. Think you might be right, Spurs attacking football should suit Ajax to play on the break. As a long suffering Spurs fan I know never to have high expectations..just try to enjoy the football..
@Nathan Mawhinney: apparently spurs have never lost a champions league final! :-)
Spurs medical team were very poor in treating Vertonghen, the ref showed more concern than they did. Time for independent HIAs to be introduced
Handy number for Ajax, they must have been delighted with the draw.
@Orla Smith: Tottenham ,Tottenham no one can stop em
We’re gonna do it again
We’re going to bring the big cup back to White Hart Lane
So ,come on you Spurs
Ahh the glory days of soccer .
@Orla Smith: This is going to be a great game of football.
@Quentin Moriarty: Hahahaha…
Jez spurs can’t get their foot on the ball. Very impressive start from AJAX.
Ajax play some great football! really slick moves. Very entertaining
Ajax have been a joy to watch insofar. Tottenham struggling to get any meaningful possession.
Van de beek had alot of time on the ball b4 lettin fly
@Vote4Pedro: You should have been a football pundit.
@Orla Smith: oh my, the intellectual racist has a sense of humour
I’m going 3-1 Ajax
Ajax could run away with this in the second half if Tottenham attack there counter attacking football is superb
Well done Ajax deserved win against the “tin lids”…these bridesmaids won’t score 2 in Amsterdam…therefore should be a great final between Ajax and Barcelona…me thinks…
If llorente was free spurs were robbed?
@Dougal67: didn’t he score the goal that put them through to the semis?
@The Bloody Nine: I was being sarcastic, he’s an awful player height that’s it if he was under 6ft Finn harps wouldn’t have him, if the ball was covered in glue it would bounce off him, I would probably beat him for pace and I’m 51
See if I can get an answer here haven’t on any other hys with spurs fans. What exactly does deli alli do? Can’t tackle no pace doesn’t create doesn’t score goes missin for ages jees 10mins in before I heard his name tonight? Team sheet every game squad depth must be bad.
Poch has messed up his starting tactics multiple times now. Liverpool , Dortmund , Man United.off the top if my head.not a Spurs fan but he seems to get away with these blunders..anyone with a brain said a back 3 was illadvised.
That Ajax side is going to be ripped apart in the summer
@Willy Motley: I think they will get ripped in the champions league final too.
@Freddie Rincon: explain why
Just hope there’s no brain farts by spurs defenders COYS