Erling Haaland felt he and Borussia Dortmund were “a good match” before choosing the Bundesliga club over a move to Manchester United.
Haaland joined Dortmund in a £17m deal from Red Bull Salzburg earlier this month after intense competition among some of Europe’s biggest clubs for his signature.
United, RB Leipzig and Juventus were all interested in signing the 19-year-old, who previously played under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during their time together at Molde.
Yet Haaland opted to join Dortmund, he claims, because of their direct approach to negotiations and their eagerness to sign him.
“They just went direct and said: ‘We need you upfront, we like your playing style and we want to have you here’,” Haaland explained.
“I liked how they spoke to me then and that’s what triggered me [to sign]. I just felt that me and Dortmund was a good match.”
United held talks with Haaland’s representatives, with Solskjaer even personally flying out to Salzburg to discuss a potential move with his former protégé.
But United were understood to be unwilling to meet the demands of Haaland’s representatives, who include agent Mino Raiola and the young striker’s father Alf-Inge.
Raiola disputed this version of events, claiming: “There was no fall-out between me and [United executive vice-chairman] Ed Woodward.
“It was just a normal negotiation and the player has chosen a different path. If they want to blame someone then, fine, blame me but the player is happy.”
Haaland could make his first appearance in a Dortmund shirt when Lucien Favre's side play a mid-season friendly against Standard Liege on Tuesday.
