Erling Haaland: Manchester City Star Reveals Crucial Role Played by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in His Career

• Erling Haaland has credited Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for improving some aspects of his game
• Solskajer was the head coach at Molde where the Norwegian star began his meteoric rise
• The manager then tried to sign the striker in 2019 when he was Manchester United coach

Erling Haaland has quickly established himself as one of the top strikers in world football. He made his professional debut barely four years ago at Molde, before rising through the ranks.

Now at Manchester City, he is on the cusp of breaking the Premier League top scorer record, with 21 goals in the current season with more than half of the season to go.

Haaland's rise to the top wasn't easy however. He started off as a winger, but his undeniable talent for scoring goals was visible.

At Molde, he was under the tutelage of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - arguably the best striker Norway has ever produced.

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Solskajer's role in Haaland's rise

Unlike how people nowadays are mesmerised by Haaland's potential and abilities, Solskjaer wasn't sold at first.

He blatantly told his young striker that he needed to work on a few facets of his game.

"The first thing I think he said to me was, ‘You have no idea how to head the ball. We have to work on that'," Haaland said as quoted by British GQ.

"This is what we did for two years; the whole period I was in Molde. And it was a good thing because I couldn’t hit the ball, and now I’m scoring goals with my head - thanks to them."

Man United missed on Haaland

Sports Brief Solskjaer later tried unsuccessfully to sign Haaland for Manchester United when he was at RB Salzburg. Sports Brief had previously reported that the Red Devils missed out on the chance, despite getting the green light from the Norwegian coach.

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Solskjaer was a fan of Haaland’s talent, and he phoned the Man United bosses to possibly make a move for him.

However, the club's executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward declined to sanction the move due to the fees of the striker's agent - the late Mino Raiola - who demanded a release clause in the contract.