Ole Gunnar Solskjaer cheekily text former prodigy Erling Haaland to tell him that he'd joined the "wrong side of Manchester" following his sensational £51million transfer to Man City.
The ex- Manchester United manager, who was sacked last November but remains a club legend, spent almost two years coaching Haaland during their together with native Norwegian side Molde. In the seaside town, the teenage hotshot showed the sort of prowess that would see him go on to score 85 goals in 88 games for Borussia Dortmund and become European football's hottest property.
Now 21, Haaland has completed a move to the Premier League worth an initial £51m before eye-watering agents fee and bonuses, having snubbed United while Solskjaer was still in charge at Old Trafford. In an interview with the Manchester Evening News , the new City No.9 has revealed what his old boss sent him in a text message once it was officially announced that he'd agreed a five-year contract across town.
"When I signed with City he congratulated me and wrote to me 'Good luck on going to the wrong side of Manchester'," Haaland said of Solskjaer, also a goal-loving striker during his playing days. "We talk sometimes. As you know, he had a huge impact on my career when I was at Molde. He's a good guy."
Despite United's attempts to sign him in January 2020, when the 6ft 4in powerhouse was still hitting the back of the net for Red Bull Salzburg, Dortmund won his signature for a mere £17.1m - one of the best bargains in recent football history. Throughout his time in Germany, Haaland was constantly tipped for a big-money transfer to the Premier League, with United most heavily linked, as Solskjaer hoped to use his personal connection to win the race.
Explaining the process of eventually ending up at City, the Norway talisman - whose record at international level is a phenomenal 20 goals in 21 games - said: "Three years ago City didn't want me because they had [Sergio] Aguero up front so then there was no choice about coming to Man City.
"Basically, my feeling was I felt more going to the other place than coming here to England. I could have come here a lot of times in my career but I felt the other place and I think it was a really good choice. I have made perfect choices ever since I went to Molde, then Salzburg and Dortmund. I'm not complaining about that."
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Solskjaer certainly has high hopes for Haaland, although won't be looking forward to watching him face his beloved United next season. "It is clear that Erling is going to have a fantastic career," the 49-year-old declared to Norwegian outlet VG in February 2021. "I follow Erling. I have always said that. Was it 18 months we had together or something like that?
"Almost two years, perhaps. A fantastic time. He will surely have a super career both for Norway and his club. He is doing incredibly well for Dortmund. We will see where he ends up. As a Norwegian and someone who has worked with him, it is of course great that he is doing so well."
