MANCHESTER UNITED missed out on signing Erling Haaland in January 2020 because they would not insert a release clause, claims Borussia Dortmund chief Hans-Joachim Watzke .
The Red Devils had appeared to be in the driving seat to sign the Norwegian from Red Bull Salzburg.
Erling Haaland could have moved to Man Utd in January 2020 Credit: Reuters Haaland’s compatriot Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believed the deal would be done, only for United to be pipped.
Lifting the lid on how he pulled off the £18million deal, Watzke told 19:09 Talk: “We gave Erling Haaland a release clause… otherwise he would have gone to Manchester United.”
The clause, believed to be around £63m, is expected to be triggered this summer.
And in a disastrous turn of events for United, the prolific striker has reportedly agreed a £500,000-a-week contract with rivals Man City.
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Man Utd transfer chief Matt Judge RESIGNS from role, Kalvin Phillips UPDATE Haaland’s father Alf-Inge played for City between 2000 and 2003.
Erling will now follow in his footsteps, while becoming the highest-paid player in the Premier League.
Rather than sign Haaland, the Red Devils opted to bring in former Watford forward Odion Ighalo on loan from Shanghai Shenhua.
They then moved for Edinson Cavani on a free transfer that summer.
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Haaland, 21, has gone from strength to strength with Dortmund.
He has scored 82 goals in 86 appearances for the German side.
The Leeds-born ace has also picked up silverware in Germany, winning last season’s DFB Pokal.
Erling’s father Alf-Inge also played for Man City Credit: Getty Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
