Erling Haaland

[ti vu]

A decade from now, we'll look back at how Raiola gatecrashed our almost done deal with the next Ronaldo/Messi and changed the course of footballing history.

It'll be up there with City signing Pep.

Why is it Raiola though?

I meant Ronaldo made it very clear from the start, he wanted to play for Real Madrid one day. SAF took it seriously, but that didn't blind him from seeing a great talent worth buying and utilizing for the mean time.

In Haaland case, we had ourselves to blame for most part, especially our manager who worked with this beast previously yet couldn't see how big a talent this is, to make the final decisive push. Release clause or not, you want this talent in your team for the time being, instead of going through the mess of the forward line like we have, all this time. There is a chance to eliminate that release clause once the player is here, compare to not having the player at all.

 

[2ndTouch]

, I think Haaland would be very tempted by United, especially if Ole is still the manager.

If Ole was such a factor, he would already be playing for you.

 

[Sunny Jim]

Where’d you learn that idiom? Ulan Bator?

Yeah, what does it mean??

 

[RoyH1]

What can La Liga or Catalan authorities do? Unless they give them money then not much, is not a thing about Barca not having money no spend on transfers is a thing about Barca not being able to even afford their current squad.

Rumors say they want to renegotiate old player contracts to bring their wages down, how do you think bringing 100M Haaland would look for that case?

Its just not happening not this year nor the next one. I dont think you realize how deep their financial crisis is. It will be a long long path to recovery.

Oh I do, very much so. I think you don't realize how deep support is for that club on a political and financial level in Spain. It's the cornerstone of a political project. Again, it's not the Premiership. Rules can and will be bent to make sure they remain competitive and don't fall behind Madrid. I'm talking credits and tax deferments when they should not be possible under normal rules.

I'm not saying they will get Haaland. At all. But it would not surprise me considering how clever and well connected Laporta is.

 

[Jim Beam]

Why is it Raiola though?

I meant Ronaldo made it very clear from the start, he wanted to play for Real Madrid one day. SAF took it seriously, but that didn't blind him from seeing a great talent worth buying and utilizing for the mean time.

In Haaland case, we had ourselves to blame for most part, especially our manager who worked with this beast previously yet couldn't see how big a talent this is, to make the final decisive push. Release clause or not, you want this talent in your team for the time being, instead of going through the mess of the forward line like we have, all this time. There is a chance to eliminate that release clause once the player is here, compare to not having the player at all.

Did he? I remember him being dissatisfied only after WC 2006 and showing signs of leaving for them.

I agree with your general point that we should have sign him (if we could) which would put us in a much better position release clause or not. Not sure Fergie would do it though with that clause and considering Raiola is on the other side.

 

[Skåre Willoch]

If were was a striker to compare him to it would indeed be Lukaku. They share a similar profile, though Haaland is better when it comes to acceleration, first touch consistency and perhaps goal scoring.

So they're not really that alike, then. The only real similarities is that they're both big and fast.
Haaland is better at literally everything, and has so many different tools in his toolbox.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

If Ole was such a factor, he would already be playing for you.

If United had agreed to the buy out clause he would be. We wouldn't though.

 

[MongeySpangle]

He’s the perfect no. 9, no weaknesses in his game whatsoever.

Blistering pace, lethal finishing, massive presence and strength, two footed, intelligent link-up play, technically strong, defensively sound and an absolute nutter to top things off. What a player. Whoever signs him will dominate.

 

[Matriac]

If United had agreed to the buy out clause he would be. We wouldn't though.

It was more than that.
We don't know for certain who tells the whole truth, but Haaland's camp claimed after that it wasn't down to a buyout clause. I'm sure it was discussed, but maybe not a dealbreaker for them.

They say they chose Dortmund over United for developmental purposes, guaranteed starts as the main striker. And that while Ole wanted him, his future in the club was quite uncertain back in December 2019 when the deal was done.
Ed and them say we turned Haaland down because we wouldn't accept a buyout clause. (And I agree we should never accept that).

To me it sounds more likely to be several reasons to consider for team Haaland instead of just the one from United.
Either way it sounds to me like both parties came out of it trying to speak as positively as possible about each other to keep the door open for the next move. Which with the clause in Dortmund could happen quite soon after all things considered.


So yes, with our recent form and with Ole's future seemingly secure in United for years to come (unless we fall off a cliff next season). Then we have all the chance in the world to sign Haaland when he moves as long as we offer a similar level of financial compensation as other suitors. (Playing under the United worldwide brand is also worth more to his football legend brand development than playing for many other clubs. I really don't know of any City players that remained legendary after their careers ended.)

 

[Judas]

Yes I'm negative, but I think I'll be sat patiently on the Sancho train, waiting for everyone when this one wildly and painfully derails.

I want to believe, but I just can't do it, not yet. Maybe something will happen in the next couple of months to stir some more muppet belief.

 

[RkkMan]

Yes I'm negative, but I think I'll be sat patiently on the Sancho train, waiting for everyone when this one wildly and painfully derails.

I want to believe, but I just can't do it, not yet. Maybe something will happen in the next couple of months to stir some more muppet belief.

Same. I just dont see how we`d be capable of paying at least 120-130m on one player this summer unless we made Haaland our only signing which isn`t wise when we need a CB and CDM. Sancho on the other hand is a lot more viable financially we`ll get some fees from sales(Bailly, Dalot, Lingard can all generate around 40m), Inter will eventually pay us our 50m from the Lukaku fee and Sancho will be at least 15-20m cheaper this summer meaning his deal wouldn`t affect our chances of signing a CB. I just hope Utd dont dither thus letting someone like Chelsea swoop in for him

 

[gajender]

Same. I just dont see how we`d be capable of paying at least 120-130m on one player this summer unless we made Haaland our only signing which isn`t wise when we need a CB and CDM. Sancho on the other hand is a lot more viable financially we`ll get some fees from sales(Bailly, Dalot, Lingard can all generate around 40m), Inter will eventually pay us our 50m from the Lukaku fee and Sancho will be at least 15-20m cheaper this summer meaning his deal wouldn`t affect our chances of signing a CB. I just hope Utd dont dither thus letting someone like Chelsea swoop in for him

Inter would pay us 15-20 m most probably as its next installment for Lukaku's transfer fee and we would be paying our own installments for likes of Van De Beek , Diallo from last summer some other commitments from earlier transfers as well.
One of the main reason we couldn't get Sancho last summer was most likely Dortmund's insistence on big chunk of his transfer fee Upfront if that hasn't changed then it would again be difficult for us even if his price drops substantially.

 

[VP89]

Inter would pay us 15-20 m most probably as its next installment for Lukaku's transfer fee and we would be paying our own installments for likes of Van De Beek , Diallo from last summer some other commitments from earlier transfers as well.
One of the main reason we couldn't get Sancho last summer was most likely Dortmund's insistence on big chunk of his transfer fee Upfront if that hasn't changed then it would again be difficult for us even if his price drops substantially.

Fair point that, I'm assuming also the status of Pogba will also dictate our willingness and ability for getting a marquee signing such as Sancho/Haaland too. Even if he goes for a smaller valuation it will still be a material enough outgoing with 250k off the wage bill.

 

[gajender]

Fair point that, I'm assuming also the status of Pogba will also dictate our willingness and ability for getting a marquee signing such as Sancho/Haaland too. Even if he goes for a smaller valuation it will still be a material enough outgoing with 250k off the wage bill.

If Pogba goes then we might have some room for maneuver , I think our transfer dealings before last summer when we bought Maguire and Wan Bissaka along with Covid completely derailed our Cash flow situation ,If I am not mistaken Both Maguire and Wan Bissaka were purchased Completely cash upfront unlike most others transfers paid up in installments.

 

[DOTA]

Fair point that, I'm assuming also the status of Pogba will also dictate our willingness and ability for getting a marquee signing such as Sancho/Haaland too. Even if he goes for a smaller valuation it will still be a material enough outgoing with 250k off the wage bill.

Board would feel we need a 'marquee signing' if Pogba goes just for the off the pitch side, I reckon. Lotta casual fans who don't watch us a lot but combined contribute a huge amount to the earning power of the club would say he's their favourite player. We'll need another big name who's amazing on Fifa or we're gonna take a valuation hit.

 

[Halftrack]

Why is it Raiola though?

I meant Ronaldo made it very clear from the start, he wanted to play for Real Madrid one day. SAF took it seriously, but that didn't blind him from seeing a great talent worth buying and utilizing for the mean time.

In Haaland case, we had ourselves to blame for most part, especially our manager who worked with this beast previously yet couldn't see how big a talent this is, to make the final decisive push. Release clause or not, you want this talent in your team for the time being, instead of going through the mess of the forward line like we have, all this time. There is a chance to eliminate that release clause once the player is here, compare to not having the player at all.

By all accounts, our failure to sign him had nothing to do with Ole and everything to do with the club. It's not as if Ole was in a position where going "sign him or I quit" would have been much of an ultimatum.

 

[yamo123x]

He looks the part he really does and will score a bucket load of goals wherever he goes.

If as we expect Cavani, Mata, Jones, Lingard Dalot and Perreira all leave then it frees the wage bill for a few additions. I hope Haaland isnt a long drawn out saga nd if we are in for him we make a firm and decisive move

 

[Solius]

We have to try everything to get him. If we fail, we fail but to not even attempt signing him is criminal. Also I really don't want to hate him because he's brilliant.

I don't even give a shit about Raiola, let him have his own lounge at Old Trafford.

 

[troylocker]

I feel like he would drop down a level or two if we did sign him. Most players we do sign often decline with us, it would be alright if we signed a proper player for the RW and Pogba doesn’t leave.
but let’s be honest if he didn’t sign for us with only Dortmund as our competition we’ve got no hope with City, Madrid, Barcelona involved.

With your logic and great spirit we should stop going after good players because we might not get them, and if we do we usually ruin them, so we better just leave them alone. Is "proper" good enough to make us the best team and England and the world? You still haven't understood why he choose Dortmund over us the last time, have you? It would be funny to get your take on how and why that went down like it did, and why that would make it harder for us to sign him when the next battle for his signature starts.

If it means not setting myself up for a disappointing transfer window then 100% yes. We probably only have about £100M to spend, if we waste all our time on Haaland and inevitably fail to get him we’ll panic and spend it on more average players.

Hehehe! Give me some examples of players who are not more average than Haaland right now. He is the extreme in every sense of the word. He is a 20 year old carrying his team through the knockout stages of the CL for crying out loud. Like Lopetegui said in the postmatch interview last night: He is going to define an era.
We need to do whatever we can to get him of course, and if we don't, I'll live with the fact that we tried. We cannot not try in fear of getting our feelings hurt.
Abu Dabhi must never get their hands on him (They are our biggest competition for his signature and are probably favourites to get it).

 

[Dirty Schwein]

He looks the part he really does and will score a bucket load of goals wherever he goes.

If as we expect Cavani, Mata, Jones, Lingard Dalot and Perreira all leave then it frees the wage bill for a few additions. I hope Haaland isnt a long drawn out saga nd if we are in for him we make a firm and decisive move

Mate he'll do what he does every transfer window... Switch off the phone and disconnect his WiFi. Man aint going nowhere

 

[Samid]

Same. I just dont see how we`d be capable of paying at least 120-130m on one player this summer unless we made Haaland our only signing which isn`t wise when we need a CB and CDM. Sancho on the other hand is a lot more viable financially we`ll get some fees from sales(Bailly, Dalot, Lingard can all generate around 40m), Inter will eventually pay us our 50m from the Lukaku fee and Sancho will be at least 15-20m cheaper this summer meaning his deal wouldn`t affect our chances of signing a CB. I just hope Utd dont dither thus letting someone like Chelsea swoop in for him

The maths don't add up here. Which CB are you getting for those 15-20m?

Haaland and Mbappe are the two guarantees in football at the moment. They will thrive wherever they go. You break the bank to get either one of those. Sancho isn't in that category. His numbers in Bundesliga are amazing but outside of that there isn't any evidence to suggest that he's a 100m player.

 

[Samid]

He looks the part he really does and will score a bucket load of goals wherever he goes.

If as we expect Cavani, Mata, Jones, Lingard Dalot and Perreira all leave then it frees the wage bill for a few additions. I hope Haaland isnt a long drawn out saga nd if we are in for him we make a firm and decisive move

Add DDG to that list. That alone would be enough to cover Haaland's wages.

 

[do.ob]

So they're not really that alike, then. The only real similarities is that they're both big and fast.
Haaland is better at literally everything, and has so many different tools in his toolbox.

I mean:

https://fbref.com/en/players/1f44ac21/Erling-Haaland

 

[DOTA]

I mean:

https://fbref.com/en/players/1f44ac21/Erling-Haaland

What the hell is that?

 

[groovyalbert]

Whoever signs him is guaranteed trophies whilst he's playing for you. Bar Lewandowski, I can't think of any other striker in modern football that does that to a side.

He's an unbelievable talent who we should be moving heaven and earth to try and sign.

If he comes to the EPL and opts for City, that's the league done for the foreseeable.

 

[Nickelodeon]

I'm conflicted. He's number 1 in terms of attackers who I wish for us to sign. But he also comes with the ridiculousness of Mino Raiola. Its making a deal with the devil, there will always be a price to pay. The worst situation would be if he signs for City.

 

[Hansi Fick]

Not in Australia

Of course not

That explains the name, and the cappuccino. It's all coming together now.
Just checked to see that on top of the usual 9 hours time difference to Sydney you feckers have an hour of SUMMER time on top right now.
It was -3° Celcius here tonight.
As an aside, I remember watching a crime drama series about serial gay murders on Bondi beach at some point in the past.

 

[Skåre Willoch]

I mean:

https://fbref.com/en/players/1f44ac21/Erling-Haaland

Ah, this list changes everything.
He's most similar to Lukaku, then actually quite similar to Jamie fecking Vardy. There are also 10 more comparable players than Zlatan.

This list only underlines my point, really. He isn't really comparable to anyone.

 

[roonster09]

I mean:

https://fbref.com/en/players/1f44ac21/Erling-Haaland

It also says Suarez and Dzeko, can't think of 2 very different strikers, or Lukaku and Suarez.

 

[Hansi Fick]

Ah, this list changes everything.
He's most similar to Lukaku, then actually quite similar to Jamie fecking Vardy. There are also 10 more comparable players than Zlatan.

This list only underlines my point, really. He isn't really comparable to anyone.

Well.
Saying that something is not like something else is comparing those things, too, isn't it.
So, to use incomparable in that sense is a bit like saying literally to mean figuratively.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Why is it Raiola though?

I meant Ronaldo made it very clear from the start, he wanted to play for Real Madrid one day. SAF took it seriously, but that didn't blind him from seeing a great talent worth buying and utilizing for the mean time.

In Haaland case, we had ourselves to blame for most part, especially our manager who worked with this beast previously yet couldn't see how big a talent this is, to make the final decisive push. Release clause or not, you want this talent in your team for the time being, instead of going through the mess of the forward line like we have, all this time. There is a chance to eliminate that release clause once the player is here, compare to not having the player at all.

I do agree here - it was an ego thing for us. United haven't been seen as a tier 1 CL club for a good few years now but we refused to accept that. I would imagine that most top young players are probably interested in United (brand, fan base, wages etc.) but we are unlikely to be their top choice and they will be hesitant to sign into bumper contracts, especially as we also insist the optional +1 year. As you say, if Ole thought he was this good you bring him in as a priority and then renegotiate his deal - the worst that can possibly happen is you sell him for a profit.

I genuinely think Greenwood has the potential to be talked about in the same bracket as Haaland if he gets the right guidance and conditioning. He's only a year younger and a different player but I see him as a 9 and he has the raw physicality/pace to be a lot more effective than he currently is, plus his touch and two footed finishing is up there with the very best. He'll never be as physically dominant as Haaland is proving to be but he doesn't need to be - he could be world class if he basically becomes the faster, two footed version of RVP.

 

[troylocker]

In Haaland case, we had ourselves to blame for most part, especially our manager who worked with this beast previously yet couldn't see how big a talent this is, to make the final decisive push. Release clause or not, you want this talent in your team for the time being, instead of going through the mess of the forward line like we have, all this time. There is a chance to eliminate that release clause once the player is here, compare to not having the player at all.

Pfffff! I'm so tired of reading this BS take on why he didn't sign for us in Dec 2019.
Ole did all he could. The club didn't, and I still think it was too early for him to sign for a club as big as ours. He wanted a smaller step, to be a guaranteed starter, instant KO stages of the CL, guearanteed CL play next season and he wanted the release clause to be in total control of his step to the big guns. His connection to us, Ole, was walking on this ice at the club at the time as well and Dortmund's charm offensive (the whole team approached him on social media begging him to sign for them and telling him how they looked forward to play with him) and willingness to be his steppingstone won him over. We offered him way more money than them, but could not match the security, gametime/development, CL and charm at the time, and hopefully we have learned from it. We need to present a believable, ambitious and interesting plan to him, and the whole club must be behind Ed and Ole the next time we approach him. If he's sold on the project wew have a chance.

 

[Makelele]

Would be a nightmare to plan against.

Low block = destroys you with headers and poaching from crosses. High block = destroys you with speed. Dirty arts = Built like a brick house. Keep outside the box = dangerous long distance shooting.

And this is not even taking into considerations the other 10 players you have to deal with. That said he is in some ways similar to Lukaku. He has to think hard about his next team. I really believe Chelsea is the best spot for him right now. They have the right pieces to complement him. City is a good shout too. Bayern would be the boring and safe step. Madrid is a rebuilding project. Do not go near.

 

[Skåre Willoch]

Well.
Saying that something is not like something else is comparing those things, too, isn't it.
So, to use incomparable in that sense is a bit like saying literally to mean figuratively.

Alright, sorry about the unprecise phrasing. I blame English being my second language.

I'll rephrase. He's not really similar to anyone. He's unique.

Better?

 

[Hansi Fick]

Alright, sorry about the unprecise phrasing. I blame English being my second language.

I'll rephrase. He's not really similar to anyone. He's unique.

Better?

I apologize too for being a smart arse. I'm just bored.

Would you be ok if one were to put it like that: Of the current top strikers, Lukaku comes closest to Haaland?

 

[DOTA]

I apologize too for being a smart arse. I'm just bored.

Would you be ok if one were to put it like that: Of the current top strikers, Lukaku comes closest to Haaland?

I think Vardy was robbed, to be honest.

I remember the first time I saw Haaland I thought, wow, It's like they've cloned him.

 

[Skåre Willoch]

I apologize too for being a smart arse. I'm just bored.

Would you be ok if one were to put it like that: Of the current top strikers, Lukaku comes closest to Haaland?

See, that's where I disagree. I think it's only due to the sheer size and speed. But sure, I'm okay with it, I just don't agree.

I think he's more similar to both Zlatan and Lewandowski than Lukaku (or Vardy), even though he's not really that similar to either one of those either.
You can find some elements of his biggest strenghts in any of the top strikers in Europe, but he has them all. Combined. Maybe except for heading.

But each to their own, I guess. I just don't see it, as I think Lukaku is a one trick (two trick?) donkey.

 

[Bondi77]

Of course not

That explains the name, and the cappuccino. It's all coming together now.
Just checked to see that on top of the usual 9 hours time difference to Sydney you feckers have an hour of SUMMER time on top right now.
It was -3° Celcius here tonight.
As an aside, I remember watching a crime drama series about serial gay murders on Bondi beach at some point in the past.

That was quite a few years ago and I think there were about 30 unsolved cases related to it, Scary shit.

 

[do.ob]

It also says Suarez and Dzeko, can't think of 2 very different strikers, or Lukaku and Suarez.

The list is in comparison to Haaland. Not each entry in comparison to the next one.

I picked Lukaku as a comparison before I saw the feature, but their profiles really do look kind of similar:

 

[Deleted 112447]

By all accounts, our failure to sign him had nothing to do with Ole and everything to do with the club. It's not as if Ole was in a position where going "sign him or I quit" would have been much of an ultimatum.

I'm glad we didn't sign him with that release clause. Can you imagine the circus that would have brought?