Hauge reveals Haaland’s advice before joining AC Milan

Jens Petter Hauge joined AC Milan in the summer transfer window after he's impressed the club. Since then, the young winger has been making some appearances and showing glimpses of quality.

Certainly, the Rossoneri fans expect a lot from the Norwegian talent who should be unleashed at full speed at any given moment once he's fully adapted to the team and country.

CBS Sports interviewed Jens Petter Hauge recently, and he recounted that moment of the opportunity to move to AC Milan.

"I remember the days before the match, I was really focusing and wanted to do well because I know how football works, and a game like this can open doors, I prepared well and I remember the night before I was talking with my best friend and the captain of the team about how AC Milan is such a big club."

"To play here must be amazing and we talked about how they play and the players they have and we said that it can be possible. I remember we were training in the morning before the match and we had to drive like 40 minutes. I was mad; I just wanted to relax and prepare and we had to drive to the place where the AC Milan youth team plays. We were in the other part of Milano and it was a long drive to get the day going. When I walked into San Siro for the first time, I just looked around and I was really happy. I thought that this could be a good place for me."

Hauge added he will never forget the call from his agents Atta Aneke and Patrick Bastianelli to inform him of AC Milan's intention to buy:

"When they called me ... it was a good feeling. I was ready. I just had to play one more game with Bodo and there we go and get things started. At that point I was ready to move on from Norway. I wanted to go abroad and have a new challenge."

On the Rossoneri's season so far:

"We are doing well in our league but there are still many more points to fight for, and also in Europa League I think we have the chance to be one of the last teams remaining, I think we can beat them all. But of course there are some really good teams, especially some English clubs that are really solid."

Among the friends who advised him to accept AC Milan's offer was Erling Haaland, the Norwegian star of Borussia Dortmund. Hauge said Haaland stressed patience in the process: 

"Yes, we talk a lot ... especially in the summer because I almost joined a Belgian club and we were talking. Haaland agreed that maybe it was better if I turned this offer down and waited for a better one. When we spoke after that match against AC Milan, he told me: "Go for it, it will be good. Playing at AC Milan will be hard of course. You have to work on stuff with the language but I think it will be good.' And now I'm really happy with the choice."

On training and playing with Ibrahimovic:

"I remember I came to the dressing room with a new hat and Zlatan was saying: 'Are you working as a pizza maker or are you playing football?' I like when people are joking! He can help me with the language because we speak almost the same language so we can talk together in another language."

In short, Hauge is really excited about the AC Milan project:

"Here you can be around legends like [Paolo] Maldini. He's a legend, not only here in Milan but the whole world. And the manager.  Pioli, I think he's a bit similar to the coach I had in Norway in the way he wants to play and what they demand from the players. I'm starting to know what he wants from me with the ball and without the ball too."