Solskjaer plays down transfer talk in pre-match press conference; watch Watford vs Man Utd live on Sky Sports on Sunday
Friday 20 December 2019 13:26, UK
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has played down reports Red Bull Salzburg striker Erling Haaland is in Manchester amid interest from Manchester United.
Norwegian newspaper Stavanger Aftenbladet reported Haaland was spotted boarding a Norwegian Airlines flight from Stavanger to Manchester on Friday morning.
However, in his pre-match news conference ahead of United's trip to Watford on Sunday - live on Sky Sports - Solskjaer dismissed the suggestion Haaland is in Manchester.
The United boss said: "I don't think he's en route here, to be fair, not through me anyway. I can't comment on other teams' players, I've said that many times.
"That's just one of those things in this job - you get so many speculations all the time.
"He is not coming to Manchester because... well, I know the boy and I know his friends and all this. He's on a Christmas holiday.
"You can't fly anywhere from Stavanger, can you, so you need to go via via!"
Haaland - who has scored 28 goals in 22 games for Salzburg in all competitions this season - worked under Solskjaer for two years at Molde and has reportedly told his former boss he wants to sign for him.
United head scout Marcel Bout went to watch the 19-year-old against Liverpool in the Champions League last Wednesday and according to Sky in Germany, Haaland met with Solskjaer in Salzburg two days later.
Meanwhile, Sky Sports News has been told Borussia Dortmund still remain confident Haaland will sign for them when he decides to leave Salzburg, but the forward has also reportedly held talks with RB Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann.
Red Bull Salzburg striker Erling Haaland is one of the hottest properties in football. Ahead of the January transfer window, Raphael Honigstein, Gabriele Marcotti and Dharmesh Sheth discuss where the 19-year-old could go next...
Earlier this month, there were scouts from 40 different European teams at the Red Bull Arena for Salzburg's Champions League clash with Liverpool and Sky Sports News understands that a large number of those scouts were there to watch Haaland.
The Norwegian striking prodigy has been linked with a move to a number of top European clubs - including Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund - and has visited other teams in Germany this month, after scoring 28 goals in 22 games for the Austrian side this season.
But what will his next move be? Speaking on the Transfer Talk podcast, Honigstein, Marcotti and Sheth assess Haaland's options...
Dimitar Berbatov believes the potential arrival of Erling Haaland would hamper the development of Manchester United's other young strikers.
United head scout Marcel Bout went to watch Red Bull Salzburg striker Haaland in the Champions League as the Austrian side lost 2-0 to Liverpool.
Berbatov insists former club United should opt against signing Haaland and focus on developing Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood.
"[Haaland] is good and he is still young," said Berbatov, who made 149 appearances for United. "He is developing and maybe he can get better.
"But I've said many times before that Martial and Rashford are, for me, the two main strikers that Manchester United need to keep. I love them.
"So, for me, they need to stick with these two players."
