When Norway has cashed in the World Cup ticket, we will not travel to the championship as tourists. The Norwegian national team is, according to the Israeli national team coach, “the best in Europe together with Spain”. We will leave this undiscussed, but the certain thing is that Norway will not travel to the World Cup satisfied with the ticket. This team, with Solbakken at the helm, has enough to aim high. Of course, this assumes that the players have as optimal a run-up to the championship as possible. For Alexander Sørloth, this means that an important decision must be made in the run-up to January.
Sørloth plays for one of the best clubs in Europe, but has dangerously little playing time. The question now is what is the best solution for our national team striker in the months leading up to the World Cup – and best for Norway.
He has in the Villareal and Atletico Madrid shirt 6 goals against Barcelona in 9 games. Against Real Madrid, there have been 5 goals in 11 games. Not many people in the world can point to a statistic like this against the two giants. Still, Diego Simeone keeps Alexander Sorloth back on the bench this season, completely incomprehensible after last season’s 20 La Liga goals, this as a super reserve.
Sørloth was on Newcastle’s radar in the summer transfer window, but the Premier League club ultimately chose to invest in other strikers such as Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissahar. Nevertheless, in the last month, it is reported that Newcastle are reviving their interest in Sørloth. The need to strengthen the attacking line without Alexander Isak has put the Atlético striker high on the wish list for the winter transfer window.
The challenge at Newcastle is that striker Nick Woltemade has had a very promising start with 4 Premier League goals in 6 games, a total of 6 goals in 11 games in a Newcastle shirt. For Sørloth, a move to the Premier League in the last five months of the season before the World Cup could be in the shortest team to play his way into the starting eleven and adjust to the pace and intensity of the world’s toughest league. The best match, but the prospect of a new bench life and crumbs of playing time.
This week, Mundo Deportivo highlights Fichajes’ report that Turkish Fenerbahce have singled out Sørloth as their top priority, a striker with good ball skills and who has shown he delivers in the Turkish league. The Norwegian international’s name still hangs high after a wild 33 goals and 11 assists in 49 games for Trabzonspor (on loan from Crystal Palace).
It is reported that the Turkish club is preparing a formal offer that will approach Atletico’s demand for 35 million euros. Here awaits a guaranteed playing time in a league that Sørloth has shown he can dominate in. Enough playing time, but is it the right match before the World Cup?
Then we have the preliminary options: Continue at Atletico Madrid, move to the Premier League, or choose a return to the Süper Lig.
