Borussia Dortmund sensation Erling Haaland will play in the Premier League one day, according to former Norway international Jan Aage Fjortoft.
However, he believes the 19-year-old is in the right place now – and was right to reject the advances of Manchester United and Juventus, among others, when he opted to leave Red Bull Salzburg in January.
Haaland has already plundered eight goals from four appearances for Dortmund, proof in Fjortoft’s eyes that the Bundesliga was the right choice.
"Alfie Haaland (his father) always said we should think of the difference between a club wanting a player and needing a player,” Fjortoft told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"What I like about Team Haaland is they have always taken the development of the player first. He is at the club he should be, where he can develop.
"Do I think he will play in England one day? Of course he will. He was born in England, but at this time Dortmund is the best place for him to be."
Dortmund’s reputation for giving opportunities to young players is well documented, but Fjortoft believes they should be respected as one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
"You always define big clubs, it is not like Dortmund is a development club," he added.
"They get [attendances of] 81,000 every week, they are in the Champions League - which some clubs aren't at the moment - and they are used to developing players into great players.
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"He can improve and he should improve, that is why he went to Salzburg not Juventus because they have a great way to educate young players.
"They could have gone to Manchester United this time or Juventus but he chose Dortmund. A 19-year-old waking up after a hat-trick on his debut, it is great to wake up in Dortmund, not a Manchester, not a Turin.
“It is good for the progress of his career.”
Haaland’s stunning goalscoring form for Dortmund so far has ensured the eyes of the footballing world have remained firmly fixed on him.
His eight goals so far, seven of which have come in the Bundesliga, have come at a rate of a goal every 22 minutes.
"I don't think there is any chance you could imagine him doing that," former Middlesbrough and Sheffield United striker Fjortoft added.
"He is scoring more or less every chance he has got. He has just been brilliant and is one of the greatest prospects we have in football.
"Let's not forget he is 19. I always compare a football career with education. You try to go to the best high school and then college. Now he is at the best college he could be."
