Erling Haaland: James Milner reveals striker's vow to sign for Leeds

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Erling Haaland: James Milner reveals striker's vow to sign for Leeds

James Milner has revealed that Erling Haaland told him that he planned to sign for Leeds United when the pair faced off in 2019.

Back then, Haaland was on the cusp of his European explosion with Red Bull Salzburg, who put on two sensational showings in the Champions League against Milner's Liverpool but ultimately tasted defeat on both occasions.

The pair butted heads once again on Sunday as Haaland, now on the books of Manchester City, fell to a 1-0 defeat at Anfield, after which Milner was asked about his conversations with the Norwegian.

Haaland was born in Leeds in 2000, a few years before Milner made his first-team debut for the Elland Road outfit, and Viaplay asked Milner whether it's true that the City man chants 'Leeds, Leeds, Leeds' whenever the two meet on the pitch.

"I can confirm that he said he was going to sign for Leeds a few years ago when we played against him," Milner said.

"He was obviously lying, so that’s disappointing."

Asked whether Haaland brought up Leeds on Sunday, Milner said: "We had a little chat, yeah."

Haaland, who has previously claimed that his dream is 'to win the Premier League with Leeds', was heavily linked with a move to Elland Road in 2018 when he was still in Norway with Molde, and a deal was rumoured to be agreed before Salzburg made a late offer to win the race for his signature.

He'd go on to score 29 goals in 27 games for Salzburg before bagging 86 in 89 for Borussia Dortmund, while his blank on Sunday was just the second Premier League game in which Haaland has failed to score for Man City.