Isak Hansen-Aarøen wasn’t able to make the breakthrough at Manchester United, but when he left the club there were still big hopes around the now 20-year-old.
The midfielder left Old Trafford in the winter of 2024 to join Werder Bremen, where he failed to make a mark, and joined then Aalborg on a short loan deal earlier this year.
The Norwegian has witnessed a period of struggles after Manchester United and as a result has not been called up for Norway U21s’ squad for the upcoming game against Wales.
Manager Jan Peder Jalland has spoken to Dagbladet about what has gone wrong for Hansen-Aarøen, accepting the midfielder’s development has not gone as per the plan.
“It hasn’t been quite the development we hoped for in the last two years. We hoped he would take another step by playing first-team football. But that hasn’t been enough in his development.”
Speaking of the youngster’s at Aalborg, Jalland said: “He played at the start. Then he disappeared from a team that has struggled a lot. They only won one game after Christmas. Then the opponent had a red card.”
The Norway U21s manager insists the next step Hansen-Aarøen takes will be very important for his career.
“This is a normal part of everyday life for younger players. It can fluctuate at times. His choice of club this summer will be important. I visited him last week. I informed him face to face.”
Clearly it’s been a difficult period for the talent, who had played well over 50 times for Manchester United’s youth sides and also appeared in pre-season games for the senior side.
He’s still only 20 and has plenty of time on his hands to turn things around.
As Jalland says, the midfielder cannot afford to have another bad spell at his next club or it will ruin his chances with the national team. Things have to change and quickly.