Manchester United set to make January move for Erling Haaland

Manchester United are to declare an official interest in Red Bull Salzburg striker Erling Haaland in January, according to a report from ESPN FC. The teenager’s impressive start to the season has reportedly alerted the attention of some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus. United are apparently keen to get a deal done before anyone else has a chance.

According to unnamed sources, Salzburg are already looking for in excess of £85 million for the 19-year-old forward, who has netted 15 times in the Austrian Bundesliga and seven more in the Champions League, making him the tournament’s top goalscorer. Standing at a towering 6ft 4in, Haaland has been previously compared to both Romelu Lukaku and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Let’s hope he turns out more like the latter than the former.

Haaland — the son of Roy Keane’s old nemesis, Alfie — has previously worked alongside Ole Gunnar Solskjær at Molde, and the United boss will surely be hoping that the personal connection will help get the deal over the line.