Manchester United has added to the growing Norwegian contingent at Old Trafford with the signature of 15-year-old Mats Møller Dæhli. Attacking midfielder Møller Dæhli, son of Norwegian football commentator Truls Dæhli and a sports photographer, is rated among the best emerging young talent from Norway in recent years.
Møller Dæhli is expected to join United’s academy from Norwegian club Stabæk on his 16th birthday – 1 February 2011 – after several trials at United’s Carrington training base in recent months. He will work under academy chief Paul Mcguinness and will join three other young players from Norway in United’s reserves and academy teams.
Described as a talented playmaker who can also operate on the wing, Møller Dæhli made his début for the Stabæk second string in August with a 30 minute cameo.
On the international front the player made his bow for the under-15 (G15) age group this summer, appearing in Norway’s defeats to Spain, Holland and France. Despite the losses, Møller Dæhli was named the player of the tournament.
“Mats has played three very good games, and topped it with a very good performance today,” G15 coach Bard Flovik told fotball.no in the summer.
“He has good skills, is good defensively and dominates offensively but he’s still only 15 years, so there are still things to work on, but he is a very promising player. This was great for us and for him.”
Møller Dæhli will join fellow countrymen Magnus Wolff Eikrem, Joshua King and Etzaz Hussain on United’s books, with the club tapping a rich vein of young talent emerging from Norway. While Eikrem, the reserves’ captain, has won plaudits this season for his progress, King is currently on loan at Championship side Preston North End.
United’s Norway Contingent
Magnus Wolff Eikrem – playmaker Eikrem has caught the attention of United supporters this season with a string of stand-out performances for the reserves. The 20-year-old also made the bench for United’s Carling Cup fixtures against Scunthorpe United and Wolverhampton Wanderers, and the Champions League trip to Bursaspor.
Joshua King – striker King made his United début for United against Wolves in last season’s Carling Cup campaign. The pacey frontman offers plenty of power and an eye for goal. He is currently on loan at Preston, having scored one goal in nine games for the Championship club this season.
Etzaz Hussain – signed professional forms at United on 27 January 2010 having been spotted through Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s network in Norway. The left-sided midfielder is known as a creative playmaker and appeared 17 times for the academy last season.
Mats Møller Dæhli – Media
Dæhli, wearing 12, scores with a long-range dipping effort at around one minute into the video below.
For those with fluent Norwegian, Dæhli is interviewed by Stabæk TV after a recent youth fixture. He’s on the left!
Images
Attacking midfielder you say? United will make a defensive midfielder or a box-to-box out of him yet.
true
the new kristoffen torgekroft henrikkson flo
he will be stuck out on the left
Proper little gay boy
Good update.You gotta feel a bit pervy watching that!
“For those fluent in Norwegian” Hells teeth i can barely speak the Queens English.