Football is full of sliding doors moments, and one of them involves Jorgen Strand Larsen, who scored at San Siro after his brief past with AC Milan.
La Gazzetta dello Sport look back at Strand Larsen’s short stint in Italy, with the important premise that hindsight is a great benefit, one that turns logical decisions at the time into being great regrets. However, the Norwegian’s goal against Italy at the Meazza was a seismic moment for him.
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He joined Milan Primavera team eight years ago and not necessarily just as a temporary move. He arrived on loan from Sarpsborg with a low option to buy set. In short, he spent a season with the youth team as a sort of trial.
From Sarpsborg to San Siro
The Sarpsborg sporting director said at the time of his move: “A great opportunity for Jorgen. Training in completely professional conditions at a big club like Milan is fantastic.” For him, it truly seemed like the beginning of a beautiful fairytale: from the 60,000 inhabitants of Sarpsborg to Milan.
He joined the Primavera team first coached first by Gattuso and then by Lupi. Along with his U19 team-mates, he even paraded at San Siro before Milan-Cagliari in August 2017 in front of 50,000 fans.
Some of those teammates, like him, are now well-known faces in professional football: Gabbia, Pobega, Bellanova and Brescianini. That Primavera side finished the season in seventh place in the league and with the disappointment of losing the Coppa Italia final to Torino.
How did Jorgen fare? He scored five goals spread over 1,260 minutes, with 20 league appearances, seven in the Coppa Italia, and three at the Viareggio tournament. Not a brilliant goal-scoring average, but he was obviously a prospect to – eventually – persist with and invest in.
The Norwegian struggled to make a name for himself, especially with Lupi, with whom he hadn’t clicked. The underlying intention was to buy him, especially since the transfer fee was only €200,000, and the youngster had integrated well: polite and professional, and he learned Italian immediately. A change in management followed, so Jorgen returned to his hometown.
“My first year of football in Italy is over. I joined a great team and a group of good players. One thing I’ve learned is to never give up! I’m still very grateful for a great experience,” was his farewell on social media to the world of Milan.
A return to Sarpsborg followed, then the spotlight shone on him first at Groningen, then at Celta Vigo, where he achieved his breakthrough. Ultimately, 2024 was the year of his leap to the Premier League paradise, to Wolverhampton Wanderers for around €30m.
Last summer, Wolves repelled a €50m bid from Newcastle. On Sunday night at San Siro, Strand Larsen displayed his qualities, and it’s hard not to call him a regret for a team that has been desperately searching for a centre-forward for years.
These prices are outrageous. Being 25 already he has very average statistics: 24 games, 4 goals.
Had a couple of decent last two seasons with 13 & 14 league goals accordingly, though just a single one this season so far.
This obviously does not correspond to 40 million price tag. In my eyes, a player like this should be going for something like 17-18 million, not much more.
Giroud also never scored many goals. What is outrageous that you are commenting on someone without even watching him play. And thinking you know something. Really outrageous.
Giroud was bought by Arsenal for 12 million and then sold by Arsenal to Chelsea for 17 million.
Those were the 2 highest fees teams payed for Giroud throughout his career.
Now read @qqq’s last sentence.
“In my eyes, a player like this should be going for something like 17-18 million, not much more.”
You proved his point even though you tried to tell him that he doesn’t know what he is talking about.
Says the guy who posts bullsh*t 24/7, dont you have a job?
These new twitter kids think every player on form is worth 100m now, wtf you doing?
Još nisam čuo da neki igrać vrijedi 5, 6, 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 mil eura !!! Sve počimlje sa negdje oko 17 mil pa do 25, 30, a oni najbolji do 50, 60 pa do 100 i preko toga !! Čudno kako se ti klubovi razbacuju miljunima pa to nema veze s mozgom UŽAS
That’s facts, Milan have no vision to build club vision. Milan have no consistency to build great team from youth sector. CDK, Kerkez, they have no minutes playing in senior team, but when they out from they become great player.