Erling Braut Haland credits Man Utd boss Solskjaer for role in career growth
Red Bull Salzburg forward Erling Braut Haland has hailed Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for the impact he had in the early stages of his career.
Haland, 19, made a name for himself in the summer at the U-20 World Cup by scoring nine goals in Norway’s 12-0 win over Honduras.
Who is Erling Braut Haland? Five things to know…
- Erling Braut Haland was born in Leeds but came through the academy at Norwegian side Bryne.
- He signed for Molde in 2017, when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in charge of the club.
- Haland moved to Red Bull Salzburg in January 2019, and is currently enjoying his first full season with the Austrian side.
- The 19-year-old has scored 17 goals in 10 games so far this season, including a Champions League hat-trick.
- And Haland has hailed Solskjaer for the impact he had on the early stages of his career.
He has so far carried that form into the 2019/20 season for Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg, scoring 17 goals in 10 games across all competitions, including a hat-trick on his Champions League debut. In doing so, Haland became just the third teenager to score a Champions League hat-trick on his debut, following in the footsteps of Wayne Rooney and Yakubu.
But the 19-year-old, who was born in Leeds and is son to former Manchester City and Leeds United man Alfe-Inge Haland, believes he has another ex-United striker to thank for his growth.
“He has had a huge impact on my life, both as a person and as a trainer,” he told Norwegian channel TV2.
“He won the Champions League and was an incredibly good player. He has taught me a lot, he is a fantastic person and a very good coach. He is one of the reasons I am here today.”
Haland signed for Solskjaer’s Molde in 2017 from fellow Norwegian side Bryne.
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Haland aims to follow in Ibrahimovic’s footsteps
Not content with equalling a former Man United player’s record and praising their current manager, Haland also spoke highly of Zlatan Ibrahimovic who spend 18 months at Old Trafford.
“There is something about the way he got good and the way he plays,” Haland said.
“For me, Zlatan is the biggest. He is from Scandinavia, so someone has to take over from him.”
Haland has previously spoken about his goal of winning the Premier League with boyhood club Leeds, and the 19-year-old reiterated his desires to play in England.
He added: “I have dreamed of playing for the best clubs in the world my whole life, and I especially like English football.”
