Erling Haaland’s father Alf-Inge Haaland had insisted his son is not thinking about a transfer, despite continued links to Manchester United.
Haaland has established himself as arguably the hottest prospect in Europe over the last year, scoring 27 goals in 29 games for Borussia Dortmund since arriving in January.
He’s continued the fine form he previously showed at Red Bull Salzburg, where he managed 29 goals in 27 games before his big move to Germany.
The striker has regularly been linked with Manchester United, who were once thought to be favourites for his signature courtesy of Haaland’s relationship with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who was his managed at Molde.
They have continued to be linked despite his move to Dortmund, with it believed he could be a primary target come next summer.
His father, though, has gone some way to dismissing those rumours by insisting his son is not even thinking about a move.
“When you play well, it’s only logical that big clubs knock on the door. But we’re talking about speculation here,” he told Sport 1.
“At the moment it is not in Erling’s or in my head that another club will be vying for him.
“We signed a long contract with Dortmund and BVB have a fantastic team for Erling right now. We don’t want to look any further yet.
“You never know what will happen. We haven’t talked about such a step yet. I think he would like to win some trophies with Dortmund.
“That is his goal. Erling can still achieve a lot in Germany and make great progress. Abroad is not a priority for us.”
The big question is whether a move away from Dortmund makes any sense for Haaland, who seems perfectly happy where he is at this moment in time.
Some would argue a switch to Manchester United would be a step down at this point, with Dortmund competing for the Bundesliga title, regulars in the Champions League and, crucially, experts at developing young talent.
Those are benefits that United cannot offer, with them very much a work in progress under Solskaer’s leadership. It’s something his father is aware of, saying it’s hard to compare the two clubs.
“He is happy to be in Dortmund and to play for this club,” he added.
“There are so many nice people there, and it really is a fantastic club.
“It’s hard to compare the different clubs. Manchester United have achieved great success in recent years. The club is also trying to build something new there.
“But to draw this comparison now is not so easy because he is already playing in Dortmund. These are two very traditional clubs with a large fan base and a glorious history.
“Man United is a very proud club, just like Dortmund in Germany. And Dortmund want to beat FC Bayern soon, that’s the clear goal.
“We have to catch up with the Munich team. Erling wants to cling to this goal.”
