Erling Haaland 'could get dream shirt number at Manchester United'

Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick is pushing for the club to sign Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland.

The Norwegian striker looks likely to leave the Bundesliga side next summer once his £64m release clause kicks in.

Haaland, who has scored 19 goals in 16 appearances in all competitions so far this season, is considered as one of the most exciting players in the world and has no shortage of admirers right across Europe.

As reported by Manchester Evening News, the Red Devils are keen to sign the Norwegian striker and could give him the dream shirt number at the club.

Speculation over Haaland comes at a time when the future of current United striker Anthony Martial is under some doubt.

The 26-year-old Martial is expected to leave United soon, either in January transfer window or at the end of the season, with Rangnick deciding he has no future at the club.

The French forward's agent recently said: 'Anthony wishes to leave the club in January.

'He just needs to play. He doesn't want to stay in January and I will speak to the club soon.'

Sevilla are among the sides thought to be keen on recruiting Martial - who signed for the club in 2015.

Martial was originally handed the number nine shirt when he joined the club, but was forced to give it up when United signed Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

After Ibrahimovic and successor Romelu Lukaku left, Martial took the number nine shirt again in 2019.

Should Martial leave it will free up the shirt for Haaland should he decide to join the Red Devils.

Haaland wears the number nine shirt at Dortmund and it is expected that would be his preferred choice at whatever club he decides to move to.

Martial signed for Manchester United in 2015 for £36m, the highest fee paid for a teenager at the time. He scored on his debut against Liverpool at Old Trafford in a 3-1 victory and went on to score 17 times in his first season at the club.

The 26-year-old has scored 79 goals in all competitions across his time at United, but has fallen out of favour in recent seasons due in part to his inconsistent form and the emergence of academy graduate Mason Greenwood.

He last played for the club on December 2 in Michael Carrick's final game in charge against Arsenal, coming off the bench as a substitute in the 3-2 win.