Jan Aage Fjörtoft reveals: This is how BVB Erling Haaland was able to convince

Erling Haaland is one of the few superstars in the Bundesliga, it seems only a matter of time before the Norwegian moves on. But how could Borussia Dortmund even catch such a player? Haaland’s compatriot Jan Age Fjörtoft explains it.

61 competitive games, 62 goals, plus 18 assists – Erling Haaland has developed into a superstar of world football in less than two years at Borussia Dortmund and at just 21 years old. It is now more and more surprising that BVB only had to transfer 20 million euros to Red Bull Salzburg in January 2020 and was even awarded the contract.

According to football expert Jan Age Fjörtoft, this was mainly due to the good reputation of the club from the Ruhr area. “The Haaland team has always been looking for the right clubs,” said the former striker in a “one-two” Sport1. “First Molde, then Salzburg, then BVB. The Premier League really wanted him,” revealed Fjörtoft.

“Haaland thought: ‘I want to go to Dortmund'”

The biggest prospect was Manchester United with Norwegian coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who, according to Fjörtoft, flew to Mozart’s city by private jet to persuade Haaland to move to the island.

“But no, Haaland thought: ‘I want to go to Dortmund because they have the experience to turn good players into great players.” This calculation seems to work, Haaland is the most sought-after young player in the world, but his contract in Dortmund runs until 2024. That helped BVB to welcome the 21-year-old into the squad for another year.

“We can all be happy that Dortmund managed to keep him,” said Stefan Effenberg. “He’s a trump card, a guarantor. Haaland is a force in two senses. I really enjoy watching him.”