Imagine If Manchester United Had Signed Erling Haaland… 🔴🤯

Football is full of “what if?” stories.

For Manchester United, few are more painful than the story of Erling Haaland.

The Norwegian striker could have been a Manchester United player long before he became one of the most feared goalscorers in world football.

And the most frustrating part?

Ole Gunnar Solskjær saw it coming.

 

Solskjær knew Haaland’s potential

Before becoming Manchester United manager, Solskjær coached Haaland at Molde.

In 2024, Solskjær revealed that he had urged United to sign the young striker as early as 2018.

According to Solskjær, he told the club that Haaland would become “absolutely top class” and later encouraged United to move for him while he was at RB Salzburg, when a relatively modest release clause was available.

United ultimately did not make the move.

Haaland then exploded onto the European scene with Salzburg.

By December 2019, he was attracting the attention of virtually every major European club after scoring 28 goals in 22 games for Salzburg that season.

 

United came extremely close

This wasn’t simply a case of Manchester United never being interested.

United were seriously involved in the race.

Haaland eventually chose Borussia Dortmund, and Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke later revealed just how close United had come to signing him.

Reports also indicated that United walked away partly because of the financial structure surrounding the deal, including demands involving Haaland’s representatives.

 

The rest is history.

🤯 What if Haaland had chosen Old Trafford?

Imagine it.

A teenage Haaland arriving at Manchester United.

Playing under Solskjær.

Developing at Old Trafford.

Scoring goals in the Premier League.

And potentially becoming the focal point of United’s attack for years.

 

Would United have won more trophies?

Would their post-Ferguson rebuild have looked completely different?

Would Haaland have eventually become the superstar he is today?

Nobody can know for certain.

But the possibility is fascinating.

Haaland’s career exploded after leaving Salzburg. He joined Dortmund in January 2020 and immediately announced himself with a hat-trick on his Bundesliga debut, scoring three goals in just 23 minutes after coming off the bench.

He later moved to Manchester City and established himself as one of the most prolific goalscorers of his generation.

 

🔴 The painful irony

There is another layer to the story.

Manchester United didn’t just miss the opportunity to sign a future superstar.

They missed an opportunity that their own manager had identified before almost everyone else fully appreciated Haaland’s potential.

Solskjær knew the player.

He had coached him.

He knew his mentality.

And he believed in his ability.

Yet the deal never happened.

That’s what makes this one of United’s biggest transfer “what ifs.”

 

One decision that changed everything

Haaland chose Dortmund because the club offered an environment where he could continue developing and play regularly.

It proved to be an excellent decision.

From Salzburg to Dortmund and then Manchester City, his career trajectory has been extraordinary.

And Manchester United supporters can only wonder:

 

What if he had listened to Solskjær?

What if Haaland had worn the famous red shirt?

What if his goals had been scored at Old Trafford instead of the Etihad?

We will never know.

But one thing is certain:

Manchester United saw Erling Haaland coming and still let the opportunity pass.

Sometimes in football, you don’t regret the players you couldn’t afford.

You regret the superstars you could have signed.

Erling Haaland might just be Manchester United’s biggest transfer “what if?” of the modern era. 🔴🇳🇴