– What is the price tag? – I said 50, so I have to stand for it. – Then you can become the club’s most expensive sale? – I don’t think about that much, but it’s fun, that’s what it is. He has struggled a lot with injuries, but now the Vålerenga talent Odin Thiago Holm finally knows that his body is as it should be. He has remained injury-free since early July – and when he is injury-free, he is, according to the coach, the Eliteserien’s best player. This means that it can be extremely expensive to buy the 19-year-old, we are to believe both Fagermo and the sports manager and news’s expert. – Clubs say they can’t afford it – If he is injury-free over time now, I think it will be the highest price tag that has, in a way, been sold by players out of Norway, says Fagermo to news. He believes he cannot see any greater talent than Holm in the Eliteserien. For example, he brings up Erling Braut Haaland, who was sold for NOK 60 million to Salzburg, but who had his big breakthrough after the flight from Molde to Austria. JUVEL: Fagermo believes Vålerenga can get a lot for the young talent. Photo: Christoffer Andersen / NTB – There are clubs that say straight out that they cannot afford it, because he is too good, says Fagermo about Holm. – But we can talk about it as much as we want, and it doesn’t help if the player can’t stand. That is why it is very gratifying to have five matches in a row, he says. If they are to manage to set a club record, they must sell Holm for over 30 million. The Norwegian record is still a long way off, however. Erik Botheim became the most expensive player ever sold from a Norwegian club, when he went from Bodø/Glimt to Russian Krasnodar for NOK 80 million. The previous record had stood since 2000, when John Carew was sold from Rosenborg to Valencia for NOK 75 million. Do you think Holm sets a new transfer record? Yes, he will be sold for more than 80 million No, it will not be a record Not sure about that Show result Have to dig deep in the pocket Sports manager Joacim Jonsson believes Holm is “absolutely exceptional” and that many tens of millions must be on the table for Vålerenga to sell. On Holm’s price proposal, he adds another 10 million. – Is there a plan to make him the most expensive VIF has ever sold? – Yes, it is clear that it is an ambition. At the same time, we know that these are the mechanisms of football. Then it’s about staying injury-free. There are some margins in buying and selling, and selling price, and that the right clubs come and show interest. But that we can get a big, big sale on Odin, of course we can, says Jonsson to news. AIMING FOR RECORDS: Sports manager in Vålerenga, Joacim Jonsson. Photo: Tore Linvollen / news news’s football expert Carl-Erik Torp says that all conditions indicate that the club record could be broken, but he also believes that Fagermo’s plan for a Norwegian transfer record is not completely out of the question. – I don’t think it’s unrealistic. A lot has to fall into place, but based on the talent he has and what he delivers at such a young age, it can happen. You know that there are clubs that are interested, says Torp. – He will be incredibly exciting to follow, both at the next club, but also on the pitch for Vålerenga as long as they get to keep him. Signs of interest The 19-year-old has now played five full games from the start in the Eliteserien since the previous injury. And the interest in his talent has not gone unnoticed. – I think there is some interest, yes, he says, but adds that he wants to stay at the Oslo club for the rest of the season. He says that interest has primarily come from Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy. The dream is, like most people’s, to play abroad, and he has a couple of leagues he prefers. – It must be a technical league like Italy or Spain. But before anything is signed, it is Vålerenga that is the focus for the youngster, says Fagermo: – Now it is Norway that is most important to him. To play far more elite league matches and get more ballast. I think the best thing for Odin is to be in Norway until the summer. If he manages this autumn here, a good preseason, and stands the spring season and develops further, then he is too good to be in Norway.
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