Erling Braut Håland was the biggest star of the first week of this season’s Champions League as he netted a hat-trick against Genk on Tuesday.
The 19-year-old became the first player since Wayne Rooney to score a hat-trick on his Champions League debut, the latter of course doing it with Manchester United in 2004.
The youngster moved to Red Bull Salzburg from Molde in January 2019 and has already impressed in his first year at the club. Apart from the hat-trick, the teenager has scored 11 goals and registered five assists in seven league appearances.
Håland’s performances have drawn attention from several clubs across the continent, including Manchester United.
Local outlet Salzburger Nachrichten reported scouts from 50 clubs were in the attendance at the Red Bull Arena on Tuesday, including a man from Old Trafford.
At the end of last month, the same publication reported Manchester United scouts watched him in action against WSG Tirol when he also managed to score a goal. They previously watched him during Salzburg’s Europa League clash against Club Brugge last season.
Håland player under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Molde and Manchester United scouts have been following him from the time he joined them in 2017. In the first match reportedly watched, he netted four times.
Håland’s father Alf-Inge played for United’s rivals Leeds United and Manchester City, and clearly the youngster is not a fan of the 20-time English champions. However, Solskjaer was then of the belief that it would be difficult for the attacker to reject United advances.
“He is probably not the biggest Manchester United fan in the world, but if they come knocking on the door, not many people say no,” Solskjaer told VG in July 2018.
Solskjaer has the services of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford as the two players who can play as a centre forward, but their goalscoring record has not been convincing yet.
Solskjaer’s presence would be a big plus for Manchester United to beat competition from other clubs.
