Who is Hakon Arnar Haraldsson? Midfield wonderkid scouted by Newcastle United
Newcastle United are reportedly interested in Lille youngster Hakon Arnar Haraldsson.
The Mail reports that Newcastle sent out head of recruitment Steve Nickson to watch Lille's Ligue 1 clash against Nice on January 17. The 21-year-old scored that night during Lille's 2-1 win and has been compared to Real Madrid's Luka Modric for his ability on the ball.
As per the report, this wasn't the first time Haraldsson was watched by a Premier League team. He was also watched when Lille were beaten 2-1 at Liverpool in the Champions League last week.
READ MORE: Newcastle United offered January 'luxury' on Arsenal, Everton and Aston Villa radar
READ MORE: Allan Saint-Maximin bravely opens up after former Newcastle United star's dad hospitalised
Who is Hakon Arnar Haraldsson?
Haraldsson, 21, was born in Akranes, Iceland and has represented the national team at a senior level for the last two-and-a-half years. He was handed his debut in June 2022 in a 2-2 draw against Israel and has 19 appearances to date.
Haraldsson, who began his career at Icelandic side Iprottabandalag Akraness, left to join Copenhagen at the age of 16 in 2019. He started playing for the under-19s where he racked 32 appearances before being promoted to the first team in 2021.
He impressed in the Superliga and caught the eye of clubs but it was Lille who managed to strike a deal. Haraldsson has 58 appearances to date for the Ligue 1 side and has started in 23 league matches so far.
His best performances were perhaps saved for the Europa Conference League where he guided Lille to their first ever European quarter-final.
Manager praise
The youngster already has Europa Conference League and Champions League experience under his belt. Former manager Paulo Fonseca previously spoke highly of his performances.
"Hakon's last games have been very positive," he said back in March. "He played very well and I think he worked well for the team. I know him well and I had no doubts about his qualities. We had to understand that young players, when they change countries, they need time. Some are not faster than others in their adaptation, but this is not a generality.
"Hakon needed time and he still needs it. He has arrived in a new country and does not yet speak the language. Despite everything, today things are better, he admits. He is starting to adapt and know our game. He has a better relationship with his teammates. He has done good things recently and he must continue on this path."
Interested teams
Haraldsson's ability to play as an attacking midfielder and a wide forward has also reportedly attracted interest from rivals Tottenham, Manchester United and Crystal Palace.
