Jesse Marsch: Borussia Dortmund ace Erling Haaland can ‘become one of the best in the world’

RB Salzburg head coach Jesse Marsch has heaped praise on Erling Haaland, claiming that the Borussia Dortmund striker can become one of the best players in the world in the coming years.

Erling Haaland has made a near perfect start to life at Borussia Dortmund, scoring 12 goals in his first 11 appearances for the club. He has quickly become one of the Black and Yellows’ key players, and his performances have seen him earn plaudits from fans and pundits all over the world.

Jesse Marsch, who was Haaland’s head coach at Red Bull Salzburg, has heaped praise on the highly rated striker, and expects him to reach the very top of the game in the coming years. In an interview with ESPN FC, Marsch said:

"“First, his physical qualities, his speed, his power, he can get to top speed from like one step, his size, all of these things for me put him right away in the upper echelon of players. He’s got the potential to be one of the best players in the world.”"

Haaland joined RB Salzburg from Molde in January 2019, and he burst on to the scene earlier this season. He scored 28 goals in just 22 appearances for the Austrian giants, including eight in the Champions League group stage, before the big clubs came calling.

The 19 year old rejected interest from the likes of Manchester United, Juventus and RB Leipzig to join Borussia Dortmund in January, and he has picked up right where he left off in Salzburg.

Marsch said that Haaland’s mentality, drive and competitiveness are what make him stand out from the rest.

"“What makes Erling so special is his mentality,” Marsch said. “In the first training sessions, you could see his competitiveness. He was often the first guy at training and the last one to leave.”“He’s fearless, he’s competitive, he’s got a drive to get better, he’s equipped with so many qualities that make him very different and special, along with the ability and pure talent, he’ll be fun to watch in the coming years, that’s for sure.”"

Haaland’s exemplary start to life at the Westfalenstadion has already caught the eye of Real Madrid, with the Spanish side reportedly interested in signing him. The striker recently spoke about his exceptional goalscoring record and said that he feels right at home at Borussia Dortmund.