05 March 2024 , 15:38
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Erling Haaland could have joined Manchester City’s Champions League opponents Copenhagen – and said it is “sad for them” the Danish club chose not to sign him.
When Haaland was 16, he went on trial at Copenhagen, but the club decided not to keep him, with the forward instead signing his first professional contract with Norwegian side Molde. Reflecting on the time Copenhagen passed up the chance to sign him, Haaland recalled: “I was on trial there in 2016. A couple of guys from the club wanted me then, but not everyone.
“It didn’t happen – sad for them! Maybe good for me, because I went to Molde and it was a good choice. But I like Copenhagen, it’s a nice club and I’ve a couple of friends who live in Copenhagen. They're standing behind the goal at a lot of games. They enjoy it.
“I was interested in joining them, yeah. It was to join the Under-19s. Of course I was interested, which is why I went there. I remember speaking to Stale Solbakken, who was the coach. I even got a shirt, a No.9 Haaland shirt. I still have it at home, actually. It never happened, my destiny was another way and it’s been a decent way so far.”
Haaland signed for Molde in 2017 and spent two years with the Norwegian side before heading to Red Bull Salzburg. He was in Austria for only a year before Borussia Dortmund came calling and he scored 86 goals in 89 games for the German giants before City landed him in the summer of 2022.
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Despite leading 3-1 from the first leg, Haaland said City cannot afford to take anything for granted against Copenhagen. “They’ve done really well this season,” said Haaland. “Look at what they did in the group stage. Some amazing games. We’ve been analysing the games and they did really well against the teams they’ve faced. I like the challenge, I like the Champions League and meeting different teams.”
Haaland also opened up on his future and admitted there are no guarantees he will stay at Manchester City long-term. He has three more years left on his current contract, but the 23-year-old admitted he does not know what the future holds for him.
Erling Haaland could have joined Copenhagen when he was younger (PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)“I’m really happy, especially with the people that I’m surrounded with,” said Haaland. "The manager, the directors, the board, they are a group of amazing people and I'm really happy, I have to say.
“If I say this now it’s probably going to be a massive headline, but tomorrow you never know what the future brings. But I'm happy. You can write this, but you also have to write everything I said before. I’m happy.”
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