😮 Scores four goals: national coach made him switch clubs | OneFootball

It was an evening to marvel at – from a Norwegian perspective, everything just fit perfectly. Not only did Erling Haaland score five goals, but another offensive player also caught everyone's attention: Thelo Aasgaard, who came on as a substitute, scored four goals and finally made a name for himself. But who is the 23-year-old with the goal-scoring instinct?

Fans of English football might have already come across his name. Last winter, he transferred within the second English league from Wigan Athletic to Luton Town. According to 'transfermarkt.de', the fee was 3.6 million euros.

However, Aasgaard couldn't prevent Luton's relegation to League One – a circumstance that would also affect his international career. National coach Ståle Solbakken made it publicly clear: Those playing in the third league have a hard time being considered for the national team.

Solbakken emphasized that the level of League One is not sufficient for international appearances, indirectly suggesting a transfer – even if he officially phrased it differently: "It's not up to me to decide who he signs with. There are many leagues in which he can play," Solbakken said in July, according to 'thescottishsun'.

At the same time, Solbakken highlighted Aasgaard's strengths: versatile, strong both offensively and defensively, a midfielder with great potential. The message was clear: A move to a higher league would be crucial for his career.

The management at Rangers from Glasgow seemed convinced of these qualities as well. He transferred to Scotland for the equivalent of 3.95 million euros.

A departure that the Luton club bosses found hard to accept. Manager Matt Bloomfield commented on the transfer in the press release: "It's bittersweet. Of course, we are disappointed to see Thelo go, but unfortunately, after our relegation, it was likely that he would be in high demand."

Aasgaard had secured a release clause in his contract that could be activated in the event of relegation. "The transfer was entirely his decision," Bloomfield explained. At the same time, he admitted that the club might have been able to persuade him to stay if Solbakken's public statements hadn't been made.

Aasgaard himself had made it clear early on what he was working towards. After his first goal for Norway in March against Moldova, he stated: "I haven't made it a secret that participating in the World Cup is my ultimate goal."

So he transferred to the Rangers for his World Cup dream, where he didn't have the best start due to injury. At least, after his outstanding performance in the national team, the fans there can now hope that he will also ignite for the club in the coming weeks.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 FREDRIK VARFJELL