Struggling English giants Manchester United have seen their attempt to bring Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland to Old Trafford fail after the Norwegian phenomenon showed his inclination toward a switch to Real Madrid rather than the Premier League, ESPN reported on Friday.
According to the sports network, senior members of United's management, including interim manager Ralf Rangnick and incoming chief Richard Arnold, don't think that the club will be able to convince Haaland or his agent of a switch to England.
The 21-year-old, widely regarded as one of the finest talents available in the football world right now, has publicly stated his desire to shift to the Santiago Bernabeu in November.
United's interest in Haaland, however, isn't new, as they have been closely monitoring his progression since he was 16 and plying his trade in Molde in his home country of Norway.
The iconic club's first real opportunity to sign him came in January 2020. But the former Premier League champions did not succeed as Haaland chose Dortmund, moving to Germany from Austrian side FC Salzburg.
With Haaland's current career track settled, the Red Devils have now shifted their search to find an equally good forward, as Rangnick looks to fix the club's weak links, both in attack and defence, ahead of the start of the next season.