Erling Braut Haaland scored a first-half hat-trick in RB Salzburg’s 6-2 win over Genk on Tuesday evening in the UEFA Champions League, and the 19-year-old Norwegian international is already being linked with a big-money move in January.
Haaland became the third youngest scorer of a hat-trick in Champions League history a few days ago, and the son of former Nottingham Forest, Leeds United and Manchester City player Alf-Inge Haaland is unsurprisingly a potential target for all the European heavyweights, but there’s one club leading the race, according to the bookmakers.
Manchester United have been installed as the 7/1 favourites with Paddy Power to sign Haaland before February 3, 2020, and with the Red Devils potentially looking out for more firepower in attack then Haaland could be an ideal solution after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer let Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez leave the club.
Solskjaer was incidentally the man that handed Haaland his debut for Molde back in February, 2017, and he impressed at the Norwegian club before he moved to RB Salzburg in 2019.
His midweek hat-trick just enhanced his sensational start to the season, as he has netted 17 goals in a remarkable nine matches for the Austrian side, and if he can continue to hit the back of the net with such regularity, and continue to deliver the goods in the Champions League, then Solskjaer is certainly going to be eyeing up his former striker.
With United facing their first UEFA Europa League clash tonight against FC Astana then Haaland may opt to remain at RB Salzburg and continue to play Champions League football, but should the Red Devils make a swoop for the 19-year-old then it’s hard for his club to let go a potential lucrative offer.
While United are the 7/1 favourites with Paddy Power to bag Haaland’s signature in the January transfer window, it’s a market awash with first-rate domestic teams and United’s rivals Manchester City are the 20/1 second favourites to bag him at the start of 2020.
City have Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus as their chosen two prominent strikers, but they could relish signing the youngster, while the triumvirate of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are all available at 33/1 to bag Haaland, and all three of those monster clubs will have the funds to lure him away.
One more club has been priced up and that’s Leeds United, who are flying high in the Championship, and with Haaland’s dad having been a cult hero at the club then who’s to say that Marcelo Bielsa may not be knocking on the door, as he bids for a promotion campaign, but it’s highly unlikely at this stage Haaland would see that as a positive move.
Erling Braut Haaland Transfer Special Odds
To Sign Before 3rd February 2020
7/1 Manchester United
20/1 Manchester City
33/1 Real Madrid
33/1 Barcelona
33/1 PSG
33/1 Leeds United
Odds supplied by PaddyPower,com