Man Utd boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hails Norwegian sensation Erling Braut Haaland after Champions League hat-trick heroics
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER has hailed the stunning Champions League display of teenage Norwegian prodigy Erling Haaland.
The 19-year-old struck a devastating hat-trick as he helped fire RB Salzburg to a 6-2 thrashing of Genk on Tuesday night.
And Manchester United boss Solskjaer was a more than interested observer - having been in charge of the forward when he worked with him at Molde.
Haaland's treble means he has started the season by scoring 14 goals in just ten matches, leading to a host of big clubs across Europe taking note.
And Solskjaer already has an inside track on the son of former Leeds and Manchester City star Alf-Inge Haaland.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of United's Europa League clash with Astana, Solskjaer said: "It was nice watching the game last night. But my focus obviously is on the game tomorrow.
"It's great watching him and I think everyone in Norway is excited by his development."
United are unsurprisingly one of the clubs who have been linked with signing the young prospect, although Haaland himself grew up a die-hard Leeds fan because of his dad.
The Old Trafford club were actually rumoured to be watching him over a year ago, when Solskjaer was managing him at Molde.
And though he refused to discuss any interest today, when he was Molde boss he was also quizzed on a United move.
At the time he said: "He is probably not the world’s biggest Manchester United fan.
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"But if they come to the door, there are not many who say no to that."
Salzburg know they have a highly-prized asset on their hands and believe they are the ideal club for him to develop as a player.
But if he continues his impressive form, and with agent Mino Raiola already snapping him up, the links with some of the game's biggest clubs are sure to come.
