Former England manager Sam Allardyce has insisted that he still doesn’t understand the “mind-boggling” decision behind Manchester United not signing Erling Haaland.
Haaland, 21, is now considered one of Europe’s most prolific strikers and is expected to leave Borussia Dortmund in the summer amid intense transfer speculation.
The Norwegian striker has been linked with Manchester United, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona, with Haaland’s contract including a £68m release clause.
Haaland left RB Salzburg and arrived at Dortmund in January 2019 after the German club triggered his £17.1m buyout clause.
United were linked with the Norway international and former Red Devils manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had worked closely with the player at Molde.
Speaking to Genting Casino, Allardyce has claimed whichever club lands Haaland next will be “getting a huge boost to the team.”
However, the ex-West Brom and West Ham boss is perplexed at United’s failure to sign Haaland and believes Solskjaer would still be the club’s manager if they landed him.
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“Manchester United, I still think that, had they secured him, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would still be in the job,” Allardyce said.
“And why Manchester United decided to let him go has been mind-boggling for me ever since it happened. And Ole had worked with him.
“Allegedly, it came down to finance, then that is the biggest mistake that Manchester United -- not Ole -- made. I think Ole would still be in a job if he actually signed him.
“Whoever gets him is going to be getting a huge boost to the team.
“When you go to 30 goals -- touch wood, he stays injury-free -- you’ve got 30 goals every season for seven or eight years, if you keep him.
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“You’re never really going to get into trouble, but the rest of the team have to live up to his expectation as well, because he’ll want to win things.
“I think the best chance Manchester United have is based on the whole financial package simply because Real Madrid and Barcelona haven’t got enough in the coffers at the moment.
“They have never been as skint as they are now.”
Haaland, whose current contract expires in 2024, has scored an incredible 80 times in 79 appearances for Dortmund.
Topics: Sam Allardyce, Erling Haaland, Borussia Dortmund, Bundesliga, Germany, England, Manchester United, Premier League, Football
Adnan Riaz