Alexander Sørloth was one of the more surprising January transfers.
Roy Hodgson used his contacts in Scandinavia to become aware of the player and Crystal Palace were so convinced they paid much more than most in Denmark, and perhaps at FC Midtjylland, were expecting.
At 22 years of age and coming straight from half a season in Danish football, spending the previous season in the Netherlands, it was never likely that Sørloth would be taking the Premier League by storm straightaway.
Now is about settling in and then from next season Hodgson and Crystal Palace will hope to see some real return on their investment.
Sørloth has moved to London with his girlfriend, who returns to Trondheim to complete her studies. The couple are living in a luxury apartment overlooking the Thames and it sounds like they’re having the time of their lives.
Speaking to Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet, Sørloth explained: “There are quite a few rich Arabs and Chinese people here in the property. It’s really a bit fun. My car is nothing compared to the others. It’s absolutely magic here. And there is so much to deal with – it’s London. Then this is also an extraordinary day, now the sun has come.”
The Danish say the striker’s Mercedes GLC is parked in the building’s garage with ‘a Bentley on one side and a light blue Lamborghini on the other side’. They visited on a glorious London day, and this will seem tropical to Sørloth compared to his native Trondheim.On the pressure of such a big move, the young footballer sounds confident: “You can never really prepare for a transition like this one. It is a matter of self-esteem. You must believe you can take the next step.”
