In the middle of the Olympic race, where Norway is raking in medals, we know the big moment for many will come this summer. The skiing nation Norway is well used to success on snow, it has been very thin with success on green grass surfaces. This is changing now. The World Cup qualification was liberating in itself, but when we see how – and where – our national team players are getting ready for this summer’s championship, it ignites a spark of football hope. Norway does not travel to America like football tourists.
Norwegian football players have never been more sought after than right now!
Here is a small excerpt from the Norwegian national team players’ week at work: Morten Thorsby shows off in his debut for his new Serie A club, Cremonese, with a goal against the big club Atalanta. That was on Monday. On Wednesday, it is Jørgen Strand Larsen’s turn. First home game for a new club, Crystal Palace, two goals in front of a home crowd against Burnley. On the same day, Erling Haaland has put in another goal, this time against Fulham. This comes three days after the world’s best striker sunk Liverpool at Anfield with a match-winning goal in injury time.
Read: Portugal’s national team coach Martinez mightily impressed with Norway!
At Fulham, Sander Berge is in the starting eleven (but couldn’t stop City). Oscar Bobb is on his way back from injury, and got eighteen minutes for his new club – against his former club.
Wednesday was also the quarter-final of the German Cup between RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich, here Antonio Nusa was also a given in Leipzig’s starting eleven (could not prevent Bayern victory).
On Thursday, Kristoffer Ajer at Brentford will send Premier League leaders Arsenal into the shower with just one point. On the other side of the halfway line, our captain was on the pitch for one lap, on his way back from the muscle injury. In the last eight games, Ødegaard has been behind 4 assists and 1 goal for the Premier League’s best club. On the same day, Alexander Sørloth was back after a head injury. There were 22 minutes on the pitch in Atletico Madrid’s thrilling 4-0 win against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey. Sørloth left the scoring to his teammates this time, but three goals in the last five La Liga games before the head injury says a lot about the potential.
Then came Friday. Then it was time for Julian Ryerson. The Borussia Dortmund player is hailed by Eurosport as Norway’s new superstar after an assist hat-trick against Mainz, Dortmund now only three points behind league leader Bayern Munich (Bayern 1 fewer games played).
Eurosport in Germany is impressed with the Norwegian winger’s play and reports that Norway is about to get a new superstar, while BILD reports that Norway is more than Erling Haaland, while bookmakers are giving less and less odds on Norway to actually win the World Cup Norway.
Manchester United want to triple their wages – all to hijack the “flawless” Julian Ryerson in competition with Newcastle.
There were no new faces through the doors at Old Trafford in the winter transfer window. That is perhaps not so strange, considering that United shelled out a staggering £170 million this summer. Now the focus is on the summer – and one name keeps popping up: Julian Ryerson.
According to several British media, Manchester United are willing to go over the top to secure the Norwegian international defender. The club has reportedly promised to triple his salary in order to lure him away from Borussia Dortmund. But it won’t be easy: a Champions League club is also fighting for the signature of the 28-year-old.
Since Michael Carrick took over the helm from Ruben Amorim in January, positive winds have been blowing over the Theatre of Dreams. United have taken scalps like Manchester City, Arsenal and Fulham, and only stumbled against West Ham. Four games, three wins – and voila, the Red Devils are back in fourth place in the Premier League.
This summer’s newcomers have delivered the goods. Goalkeeper Senne Lammens has provided security at the back, while the duo of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have ravaged forward – with 16 goals in total.
Nevertheless, there is an uncertainty hanging over the club. Carrick’s contract expires in the summer, and no one quite knows who will steer the ship next season. Of course, this can affect who is brought in – and by whom.
The Norwegian, who is actually a right-back, has this season been retrained as an attacking wing-back by Niko Kovac. The result? 13 assists in 29 games. Three of them came as recently as this weekend, when Mainz were swept off the pitch at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK.
Dortmund have a contract with the 28-year-old until 2028, and will not let him go cheaply. The price tag is reportedly between £30 million and £35 million.
The competition is fierce. Newcastle are also following Ryerson closely, and see him as the perfect successor to Kieran Trippier, who turns 36 in the autumn and is nearing the end of the road.
According to Sports Boom, Ryerson is said to be positive about a Premier League transfer. Sources close to the player suggest that he is privately very excited about the idea of trying out in the world’s toughest league.
And then, of course, there is the salary. Today, Ryerson earns around £830,000 a year at Dortmund. Both United and Newcastle are said to be ready to triple that. It’s money that’s hard to say no to.
If Ryerson chooses United, he will have a tough fight for his place. Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui are not exactly in line to give up the shirt. But with Ryesson’s versatility and form, he could quickly become a pawn Carrick – or his successor – will have on the board.
