Juventus had the opportunity to sign Erling Haaland in 2017 when he was a promising, yet relatively unknown, attacker at Molde, according to a report in Tuttosport. The story resurfaced following Haaland’s continued success, both with Manchester City and the Norwegian national team at the World Cup.
The initial contact came about through a connection between Dodo Spinosi, son of former Juventus player Luciano Spinosi, and an agent with ties to Haaland’s father. Juventus’s then youth director, Cherubini, was tasked with mediating a deal with Molde, leveraging his contacts in Scandinavia with Jim Solbakken and Ole Gunnar Solskjær, who was managing Haaland at the time. Cherubini, impressed by scouting reports, invited Haaland and his father to visit Juventus’s training facilities and attend a match against Inter.
Following the visit, Haaland’s father gave the green light to begin negotiations with Molde, but the Norwegian club demanded a €10 million fee. Juventus countered with an offer of €2.5 million upfront plus a 50% sell-on clause. Molde expressed concerns that Juventus intended to develop Haaland and then sell him on, rather than integrating him into the first team long-term.
Subsequent negotiations took place at the Westin Palace in Milan, involving Juventus’s Marotta, Paratici, and Cherubini, alongside representatives from Molde. Despite appearing close to an agreement, Juventus hesitated to meet Molde’s financial demands for a player who had yet to fully prove himself. Haaland ultimately joined Red Bull Salzburg for €5 million, guided by Mino Raiola, who became his agent.
Former Juventus CEO Beppe Marotta has since described the missed opportunity as one of his biggest regrets, acknowledging the risk aversion that prevented the club from securing Haaland’s signature. While a sale from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester City in 2023 for €60 million suggests Juventus might have been able to recoup their investment, the report highlights the potential of having the world’s most potent striker in Turin. The question remains whether Haaland would still be at the club had he initially joined Juventus.
