The Mentor and The Protégé
The story begins not in Manchester, but in Molde, Norway. It was here that a lanky, powerful teenage striker named Erling Haaland was making waves under the management of a Manchester United legend, Ole Gunnar Solskjær. Solskjær immediately recognised
the generational talent he had on his hands, personally coaching Haaland and working on his finishing. Their connection was strong, and the manager was convinced the youngster was destined for the very top. In the summer of 2018, months before he would take the caretaker job at Old Trafford, Solskjær personally rang his former club. His message was clear and urgent: 'You've got to sign this boy'. The fee at the time was reportedly as low as £3-4 million.
A Communication Breakdown
This is where the story takes a turn that United fans will forever lament. Despite Solskjær's passionate recommendation, the club's hierarchy felt they had enough reports on other players and decided against pursuing the deal. However, another version of events points to a more direct and embarrassing blunder. United had reportedly scheduled a call with Haaland's agent at 9am to finalise a move. The crucial mistake was a misunderstanding over time zones; United's representative believed it was 9am UK time, while Haaland's camp in Norway was expecting the call an hour earlier. In that one-hour window, rival club Red Bull Salzburg swooped in, made their move, and secured the signature of Europe's most promising striker for a fee of around €8 million.
A Second Chance Missed
After Solskjær became United's permanent manager, he again tried to bring Haaland to Old Trafford. By this point, Haaland was scoring for fun at Salzburg. Solskjær urged the United board to activate his €20 million release clause, a fee he considered a bargain. But this time, the club balked at the demands from the player's representatives, which reportedly included a significant share of any future sale and the insertion of another buyout clause. United's management was unwilling to cede that much control, viewing the terms as 'bad for the industry'. Haaland's father, Alfie, later suggested that they chose Borussia Dortmund because the entire club, not just the manager, was fully committed to signing him. Dortmund agreed to the terms, and the deal was done.
The Inevitable Haunting
After prolific spells at Salzburg and Dortmund, Haaland's career trajectory led him to the one place guaranteed to inflict maximum pain on United: Manchester City. Since joining in 2022, he has become a nightmare for his crosstown rivals. He has scored an astonishing number of goals against United, including a memorable hat-trick in his very first Manchester derby. His goal tally in games against United is among the highest in the Premier League era, quickly putting him in the company of legends. Every goal serves as a brutal reminder of the administrative fumble and strategic hesitation that allowed a generational talent, once available for a pittance, to slip through their fingers and into the arms of their greatest rivals.
