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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Rich Jones

4 Man Utd transfer teases including Erling Haaland shirt and mystery training ground visitor

It’s the transfer window and that can only mean one thing - fans getting carried away.

In the age of social media, it only takes a minor hint to send supporters into overdrive as they look for clue that their club might be about to get their man.

Manchester United, in particular, are a club who have been involved in some of the biggest and most dramatic transfer sagas in recent memory.

With a magnifying glass on any comings and goings at Old Trafford, there are inevitably some false-hopes or hints which don’t come to fruition.

In recent years, events involving the likes of Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and Bruno Fernandes have led fans to believe a move is in the offing only for developments to quickly change.

Here’s a look at four times Manchester United fans have been teased by transfer hints.

Haaland signs Man Utd shirt

Erling Haaland is a man in demand at the moment - and not for the first time.

Haaland first came to prominence with his goalscoring exploits for Red Bull Salzburg which saw him emerge as a target for several top clubs.

Manchester United were the early front-runners before he ended up joining Borussia Dortmund.

Erling Haaland signed a Man Utd shirt amid intensifying transfer links back in 2019 (TWITTER)

And with links to Haaland at an all-time high, he fuelled speculation when a picture emerged of him signing a Manchester United shirt.

Haaland signed several shirts, including a Leeds United shirt like that worn by his Dad, Alf-Inge Haaland, as well as Napoli and Molde shirts.

But it was the presence of a United jersey which captured the headlines and led many to believe he would soon join Solskjaer at Old Trafford.

It never happened as he joined Borussia Dortmund - although United could get a second chance in the future.

Jude Bellingham’s visit

Erling Haaland is not the only player that was wanted at Manchester United before heading to Borussia Dortmund.

Jude Bellingham was also in-demand after his Birmingham City performances when it emerged United had rolled out all the stops with a training ground visit.

Man Utd were unable to lure Jude Bellingham to the club (Getty Images)

After rolling out the red carpet, Bellingham was addressed by club legends Sir Alex Ferguson and Eric Cantona in a bid to sell the club.

At that stage, it looked he would be heading to United - only for Borussia Dortmund to pounce.

They won him over with a montage of their famous ‘Yellow Wall’ and sold him their vision - he has yet to look back.

Mystery training ground visitor

In January 2020, Manchester United were in a tough spot.

A mixed run of form early in the season led to huge calls for new additions - and plenty of names were in the frame.

Who else should Man Utd sign this summer? Comment below

A mystery man sparked speculation when arriving at Carrington in January 2020 (Eamonn and James Clarke)

WIth Bruno Fernandes on the verge of a move, a mystery man was pictured being driven into Carrington covering his face in the back of a black car.

Many speculated on social media it was Fernandes, others claimed it was Portuguese compatriot Ruben Neves, also linked with a move.

The identity of the man in question never came to light, but Fernandes did eventually join the club later that month.

Fernandes’ premature farewell

Bruno Fernandes’ move to United was six months in the making.

The previous summer, he had been linked with a move to Old Trafford and bid a premature farewell to Sporting Lisbon.

Bruno Fernandes said a premature farewell before his Man Utd transfer was finally completed (Getty Images)

It seemed Fernandes was confident a move would happen as he struggled to contain his emotions after a pre-season friendly against Valencia.

It was claimed he would lead Sporting Lisbon into battle with rivals Benfica as his final game in the Portuguese Super Cup before heading to Manchester.

"Will this be the last match for Sporting? I don't know, it's the coach who decides,” Fernandes said ahead of the game, which was set to be a farewell appearance.

"I told them I'd like to play in England, but I don't care about it right now.”

Fernandes and United seemed confident he would be playing at Old Trafford - yet the deal collapsed as the window slammed shut and he had to wait another six months to get his dream move.

It turned out to be worth the wait for both parties despite the initial frustration.

Get your hands on your club's special edition 2021/22 annual. Find out more here.

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