Champions League: Erling Haaland almost went to FC Copenhagen when he was 16

Insights before the CL duel

In the run-up to the second leg of the round of 16 in the Champions League between Manchester City and FC Copenhagen, world star Erling Haaland gave insights into how he almost ended up with the Danish record champions himself at the age of 16. The 23-year-old also commented on his current situation at the Skyblues and responded to speculation about a possible departure in the summer.

In view of the 3-1 away win from the first leg in Copenhagen, the most valuable footballer in the world (for statistics) together with Paris’ Kylian Mbappé and Madrid’s Jude Bellingham presented himself in a relaxed manner before the game on Wednesday evening (from 9 p.m. in the TM live ticker). , when asked about rumors of a possible departure from Manchester. “I am really happy. Especially with the people who surround me, the manager, the directors, the board. “This is a group of amazing people and I’m really happy, I have to say,” said the Norwegian, whose contract in the north of England runs until 2027.

At the beginning of the year, the Spanish newspaper “AS” reported that an exit clause was integrated into this, which would make an early change possible. The transfer fee specified therein should be closer to 100 million than 200 million euros, it was said. A sum that, given market developments, is unlikely to deter financially powerful top clubs, but Haaland remained tight-lipped when asked again: “If I say that now, it will probably be a huge headline: Tomorrow you never know what the future will bring … But I am happy. You can write this, but you also have to write everything I said before. I am happy.”

Haaland almost ended up in Copenhagen: “Sad for them, maybe good for me”

During the press conference, Haaland also gave insight into his personal connection with the round of 16 opponent from Denmark. In 2016, at the age of 16, he completed a trial training session “or whatever you want to call it” at FC Copenhagen, but this did not result in any concrete collaboration. At that time, the striker, who was born in Leeds, England, was still playing for his Norwegian training club Bryne FK, where he had made it into the second division team’s professional squad the year before. At that time, Haaland was very interested in a move to the traditional Danish club, but this fell through. “A few people from the club wanted me, but not everyone,” said the ex-Dortmunder, who added: “It didn’t happen – sad for them, maybe good for me, because I went to Molde and that was definitely it a good decision.”

The club from its home country paid 100,000 euros for the services of Haaland, who made his breakthrough as a professional with 20 goals in 50 competitive games between February 2017 and January 2019 and aroused the interest of Red Bull Salzburg. When asked by a reporter whether he could really seriously imagine moving to Copenhagen, Haaland asked the reporter to repeat the question before answering with a smile: “At first I thought you meant now.”

“To be fair,” however, he added that he “really liked” the club at the time. “I even got a jersey back then, one with the number 9 on the back. I still have it at home. (…) But my fate was a different path,” continued Haaland, who then went back to the initial questions about a possible departure from City: “And so far it’s a good path.”

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