The forward revealed why he opted to join the German side despite interest from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the Red Devils
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 January 18 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.”
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