There will be a lot of clubs kicking themselves Ex Molde scout explains why 2 Premier League giants missed out on Manchester City striker Erling Haaland
There will be a lot of clubs kicking themselves - Ex-Molde scout explains why 2 Premier League giants missed out on Manchester City striker Erling Haaland × Follow Us Create Notifications New User posted their first comment this is comment text Link Approve Reject & ban Delete Log in Manage your profile Editing Story Queue Video Queue Editing Stats Writer Home SEO Redirection Admin Wiki Edits Taxonomy Home Edit Site Menu Mapping Dashboard Tag Pages Community Social Feed Queue Feed Center Notification Center Affiliate Home Manage Pages Bottom Tagline Dash Timeless Stories Logout Football EPL 2022-23 News
@rwohan projects his possible goal totals (@espnplus) es.pn/3BFqr7o3941230Can Haaland break the Premier League record of 32 goals in a single season? ?@rwohan projects his possible goal totals (@espnplus) es.pn/3BFqr7o https://t.co/FYp0up50a0 Vik insisted that both Liverpool and Arsenal could have landed the Norwegian but did not pursue a deal because they saw Haaland as a target man. “When they were seeing a big striker like Erling, they were seeing a target man and I think they forgot to look at what else he could do. Liverpool could have got him. Arsenal could have got him." "Everyone was there to watch him but these clubs were seeing a No. 9 who was tall and broad and, ‘Oh, he’s going to be a target man.' I couldn’t for the life of me see why they had narrowed him down that way." The former Molde scout has also claimed that the two Premier League clubs must be kicking themselves for letting such a gifted player slip away. He added: “I didn’t like him with his back towards the goal and, at the time, he couldn’t really head the ball. I liked it when he turned round, when he chased into pockets, when he ran between the lines, his movement in the box." "He didn’t want to hold the ball up, he just wanted to turn and go. There will be a lot of clubs kicking themselves because we can all see now what he is good at.”
There will be a lot of clubs kicking themselves - Ex-Molde scout explains why 2 Premier League giants missed out on Manchester City striker Erling Haaland
By Snehanjan Banerjee Modified 14 Sep 2022 Follow Us Comment Share Ex-Molde scout explains why 2 Premier League giants missed out on Manchester City striker Erling Haaland Former Molde chief scout John Vik has claimed that two Premier League clubs could have signed Erling Haaland long before he moved to Manchester City. The Norwegian sensation has seen a rapid rise to the top and is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in world football right now. Manchester City signed the forward this summer from Borussia Dortmund, activating his €60 million release clause which already looks like a bargain. Haaland has found the back of the net 12 times in eight games for the Sky Blues so far this season. However, John Vik has claimed that both Liverpool and Arsenal turned down the chance to sign the gifted attacker while he was still at Molde. The former Molde scout has insisted that the Premier League sides probably made an error in judging Haaland considering him as a target man due to his big frame. Vik told The Athletic: "I remember one occasion when the team were out in Spain. I was with some of my colleagues from Premier League clubs and I remember saying, ‘I have to repeat myself, guys, don’t judge him as a target man, you have to look beyond that. He runs in between, he chases space, he’s fantastic in the box, he’s that kind of player.'" Vik continued: "I was thinking to myself, ‘Am I the guy who is getting it wrong? Am I seeing this the wrong way?' But there has always been this perception with some English clubs that a striker needs to look a certain way, and that a centre-half needs to look a certain way, and you need a certain frame for a certain role." ESPN FC@ESPNFCCan Haaland break the Premier League record of 32 goals in a single season? ?@rwohan projects his possible goal totals (@espnplus) es.pn/3BFqr7o3941230Can Haaland break the Premier League record of 32 goals in a single season? ?@rwohan projects his possible goal totals (@espnplus) es.pn/3BFqr7o https://t.co/FYp0up50a0 Vik insisted that both Liverpool and Arsenal could have landed the Norwegian but did not pursue a deal because they saw Haaland as a target man. “When they were seeing a big striker like Erling, they were seeing a target man and I think they forgot to look at what else he could do. Liverpool could have got him. Arsenal could have got him." "Everyone was there to watch him but these clubs were seeing a No. 9 who was tall and broad and, ‘Oh, he’s going to be a target man.' I couldn’t for the life of me see why they had narrowed him down that way." The former Molde scout has also claimed that the two Premier League clubs must be kicking themselves for letting such a gifted player slip away. He added: “I didn’t like him with his back towards the goal and, at the time, he couldn’t really head the ball. I liked it when he turned round, when he chased into pockets, when he ran between the lines, his movement in the box." "He didn’t want to hold the ball up, he just wanted to turn and go. There will be a lot of clubs kicking themselves because we can all see now what he is good at.”