Football news - Man Utd and Juventus beaten to Erling Haaland signing as Dortmund confirm deal

ByJames Gray

Updated 29/12/2019 at 17:06 GMT

Erling Braut Haaland has signed for Borussia Dortmund after the German club activated his minimum fee release clause of £18 million, fighting off a host of top European sides including Manchester United and Juventus.

The 19-year-old has been in prolific form for Red Bull Salzburg this season, scoring 28 goals in 22 appearances, including a hat-trick on Champions League debut against Genk.

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The Leeds-born striker, who already has two appearances for Norway, reportedly had offers from both Manchester United and Juventus on the table but chose Dortmund, where he has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract.

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Borussia Dortmund's CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke said: "Despite many offers from absolute top clubs from all over Europe, Erling Haaland decided on the sporting task at BVB and the perspective that we have shown him.

Our tenacity has paid off.

Haaland's father Alf-Inge played in the Premier League for Nottingham Forest, Middlesbrough and Manchester City but his son said he was convinced by the hierarchy at Dortmund that Germany was the right place for him.

“I had intensive discussions with the club management and the sports management, especially with Hans-Joachim Watzke, Michael Zorc and manager Lucien Favre," Haaland said.

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"There was a feeling right from the start that I absolutely wanted to switch to this club, go this route and play football in this incredible Dortmund atmosphere in front of more than 80,000 spectators. I'm already burning for it."

Sporting director Michael Zorc said: “We are all looking forward to an ambitious, athletic and physically strong centre forward with a pronounced goal instinct and impressive speed, which we would like to develop further in Dortmund.

"At the age of 19, Erling is of course just beginning a hopefully great career!"

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