Report: United prepare bid for Haaland; Salzburg want over £85M
Manchester United are looking to strike quickly to beat some of Europe's biggest clubs to Erling Braut Haaland's signature.
The Red Devils are preparing a formal January move for the Red Bull Salzburg phenom, reports Rob Dawson of ESPN. The hulking teenager, who has taken the football world by storm this season thanks largely to his scoring exploits in the Champions League, is already valued at over £85 million by the Austrian club, Dawson adds.
United are keen to complete a deal in the upcoming January transfer window, as they may be priced out of the sweepstakes should they wait until the summer when Salzburg could demand in excess of £100 million for the 19-year-old striker.
The likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Juventus have all been linked with the Norwegian, who has scored 26 goals in 18 matches across all competitions this season. He's the top scorer in the Champions League, too, having found the net seven times in only four games.
United would consider signing Haaland and then loaning him back to Salzburg for the remainder of the season to facilitate the move and avoid a costly bidding war, according to Dawson.
Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is familiar with Haaland's talents, as he worked with him during their time at Molde and is said to have earmarked his compatriot as an ideal signing to help rectify the club's scoring woes.
United, who lost both Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez this summer, have just 16 goals in 12 Premier League matches this season.