Juventus and Manchester United are reportedly among 20 clubs chasing the signature of the newest European prodigy Erling Braut Haaland.

According to a report by The Guardian, Erling Braut Haaland has a raft of big-name clubs chasing after him. Juventus and Manchester United head a queue of 20 clubs who are interested in signing the Norwegian teenage sensation, with Red Bull Salzburg open to cashing in on him next summer.

Haaland has become one of the hottest properties in Europe on the back of a stunning start to the 2019-20 season, his first full campaign with Red Bull Salzburg. The 19-year-old joined Salzburg in January this year, but it is the onset of the current campaign that has captured the attention of the who’s who of Europe.

In 15 appearances across all competitions, Haaland has a scintillating return of 22 goals and 6 assists, a simply astounding record for a player who is still in his teens. As a result, the prodigious striker has piqued the interest of Juventus, Manchester United and several other clubs across Europe.

Juventus have one of the best players ever in their ranks. But, even Cristiano Ronaldo will have a sell by date, and at 34, the former Manchester United star is surely approaching the twilight of his career. With Gonzalo Higuain and Mario Mandzukic, the Bianconeri’s other strikers, also in their thirties, the need to add some freshness to the attack is understandable.

The next big thing? (Photo by Andreas Schaad/Bongarts/Getty Images)
The next big thing? (Photo by Andreas Schaad/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Haaland is, thus, a viable target for Juventus, who are monitoring the progress of the 19-year-old. In fact, the report suggests that Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici has had his eyes on Haaland since his days at Molde, having even offered €6 million to sign him in the summer of 2018.

Manchester United, too, have been in pursuit of Haaland for quite some time, with the interest only furthering since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who managed him at Molde, was appointed as their manager. And, the Red Devils are indeed in need of striking reinforcements.

Manchester United sold Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan in the summer, but chose not to replace him, with Solskjaer putting his faith in Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood. But, early indications this season suggest Rashford is more comfortable playing out on the wings, leaving Martial as the only recognised striker, with Greenwood too inexperienced to be a regular backup.

As a result, Manchester United need to sign a striker at the earliest, which explains the interest in Haaland, who also fits the profile of players they have been targeting. But, United and Juventus face stiff competition from 18 other clubs who are also scouting Haaland, including Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester City.

The widespread interest in the Norwegian wonderkid has enticed Red Bull Salzburg to cash in on their star striker, with the Austrian giants open to selling him next summer. They are also hoping that his value can skyrocket to around €60 million if he can enjoy the kind of campaign that made Luka Jovic a highly sought-after striker last season.

For now, the bigwigs of Europe continue to monitor Haaland, and it remains to be seen which of Juventus, Manchester United and the other suitors are able to land him next summer.

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