02-07-2025
Rangers fans know me as a flop but I helped negotiate Erling Haaland's blockbuster transfer to Manchester City
One former Ibrox attacker looks after the Norwegian superstar's financial affairs
Egil Ostenstad played a pivotal role in one of the most high-profile transfers in recent history when he helped bring superstar Erling Haaland to Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2022.
But to fans of a certain age, the former Norwegian forward will forever be remembered for flopping at Rangers in the 2003/04 season.
Ostenstad was brought to Ibrox by Alex McLeish on a free transfer from Blackburn and despite scoring just two goals across the previous three years, notably appeared for his country at the 1998 World Cup in France.
But his stint in the blue half of Glasgow proved to be nothing short of a disaster, with a return of just two goals in 17 matches - both of which came in League Cup ties against Forfar and St Johnstone - failing to justify his reported salary of £20,000 a week.
The ex-Viking attacker had his contract in Govan ripped up before the campaign - which finished trophyless for Gers - had even drawn to a close and after a decent second spell with Viking, hung up his boots in 2005 to become club's director of football until 2011.
But through his close friendship with former Norway and Man City teammate Alf-Inge Haaland - Ostenstad then began to represent the family's financial interests, also heading his pal's investment firm Tyrannus, which is based in Luxembourg.
After helping negotiate Haaland Jr's moves from Molde to Salzburg in 2020 and then to Dortmund six months later, they hit the jackpot when Pep Guardiola's Etihad giants forked out £51million to bring him to the Premier League.
But in an interview with FourFourTwo last month, the 53-year-old was asked about his ill-fated stint at Ibrox, and replied: "It came up late in the transfer window.
"I had 10 months left on my contract at Blackburn and Rangers are a massive club. I had an opportunity to play in the Champions League with them, so I took it, but they signed me more as a squad player.
"I didn't do well. I was struggling with an Achilles problem and couldn't train properly. I'm grateful that I got to experience being at such a huge club. I would've loved to do better.
"I did my best, but it wasn't enough at the time. It's hard as a Rangers player when Celtic are performing better."
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