Report details how Leeds United tried to sign Erling Haaland and why it failed

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Tales of Leeds United and Erling Braut Haaland have developed something of folklore in recent times. The world’s most terrifying young striker was born in Leeds and is the son of former Whites midfielder Alf Inge Haaland. 

With that in mind, when the frontman was starting to stand out from the crowd at Molde one destination which looked like a potential option for him always appeared to be Leeds. 

Indeed, quotes have previously been attributed to Haaland in which he claims a dream to win the Premier League with his birthplace club, quotes an older Haaland has distanced himself from. 

But according to the most in the know journo when it comes to all things Leeds United, the Whites definitely made a concrete move for the Norwegian a few years back. 

As reported by Phil Hay for The Athletic, Leeds took Haaland on a tour of Elland Road (where it has even been claimed Haaland was conceived) and the Thorp Arch training facilities. 

This was, according to the report, prior to Haaland’s move to Red Bull Salzburg of Austria in January 2019, so either toward the end of 2018 or the start of that year. 

However, as the report claims, Salzburg’s offer blew Leeds out of the water financially and it has been proven a smart move from the striker. 

He thrived in Austria before making a big-money move to Borussia Dortmund. Now a hit in Germany, Haaland has been linked with a litany of other clubs with a reported asking price of around €120 million (£110m) on his head (as reported by SPORT). 

Leeds will no doubt be disappointed that the tour of Elland Road was not enough to convince Haaland not to make the move to Salzburg.