‘We’d like to do our business and talks on the quiet’: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer plays down talk of Manchester United chasing £154m Erling Haaland after Mino Raiola took Barcelona and Real Madrid negotiations public
- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer played down any move for Erling Haaland this summer
- Manchester United are one of many clubs linked with striker valued at £154m
- Haaland’s agent and father met with Barcelona and Real Madrid on Thursday
- Solskjaer urged United to keep business private and avoid public negotiations
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has refused to be drawn on a renewed bid for Erling Haaland after the Borussia Dortmund striker’s representatives opened talks with Europe’s top clubs.
United thought they had a transfer deal tied up for Haaland in January 2020 after Solskjaer flew to Austria to meet his fellow Norwegian, but the Red Bull Salzburg striker made a £19.5million move to Dortmund instead.
The 20-year-old is expected to move again this summer with a number of clubs interested even though the German club have valued him at £154m.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Manchester United won’t be drawn into public transfer negotiations
United are just one of many European clubs linked with Erling Haaland who is valued at £154m
Haaland’s release clause of £65m does not kick in until next summer, however Europe’s elite are unwilling to wait to secure the signature of one of the most sought after players in the world.
His agent Mino Raiola and father Alfie Haaland spoke to Real Madrid and Barcelona on Thursday, and are expected to hold talks with several Premier League clubs including Manchester City and Chelsea.
It’s understood that United are unsure about entering the bidding after missing out on Haaland last time, and Solskjaer was reluctant to discuss the situation at his weekly press conference.
Haaland’s father Alfie (L) and agent Mino Raiola (R) arrive in Barcelona on Thursday for talks
‘I’m focusing on the next two months and whatever happens in the world of football there is only so many places anyone can go,’ said the United boss who was Haaland’s manager at Molde.
‘Even though I worked with Erling it’s not right for me as Man United manager to talk about him – he will make his own mind up.
‘Who we’re interested in and who we can go for and who we will go for, I’m not going to comment on that.
‘I think the way the world works at the moment, you’d like to do all your business and talks on the quiet, but there are news and media platforms everywhere that make that more difficult.
‘Hopefully we can suddenly sit here with players no one has written about. We conduct our recruitment business, scouting, the players that we are interested in, the right way I hope and feel.’
Solskjaer has called on United to conduct their business in quiet away from any speculation
