In an exclusive interview granted to Milannews.it, Arilas Ould-Saada, journalist for the Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang has spoken about AC Milan winger Jens Petter Hauge. Here are his statements:
On Hauge's season:
"First of all, I think it is important to remember that leaving Bodo / Glimt for AC Milan is an incredible leap forward, for this reason it is not surprising that it has had ups and downs. His immediate impact was a surprise for everyone, both in Norway and at Milan, but he has made many people think again during his career. This shows his qualities, his incredible mentality and above all shows that he is not afraid. However, I think he has made it clear, even in the matches where he scored, that he needs to work a lot tactically, defensively and in the early stages of the game. I remember talking to the people at the club when the hype about him was at its peak, they said he needed to work on certain aspects of the game. In addition to this, Hauge hasn't had a break from football since the start of the season in Norway in 2020, so physical wear and tear may have been a factor."
On whether Hauge should have played a little more:
"Having seen what he can do in the decisive moments, obviously I would have liked to see him more on the pitch in recent months. Norwegian fans who had seen him flourish during the group stage. In any case, it is important to remember that he played a lot more than expected at the start of the season, so I was expecting a more complicated time to come. goals against Sampdoria will take him more minutes. Now he has to prove that he is something more than a change during the match."
On talk about Hauge in Norway:
"The attention for Hauge was highest in December, after he made the turn for the Rossoneri. It represented a fascinating success story for the Norwegians, as it has been for Erling Haaland. However, in recent months, due to little employment at Milan, Haaland and Odegaard have dominated the national media. He hasn't played much in national matches and has been criticized by Stale Solbakken, but we find that every time we write about him, the interest is enormous. He is still regarded as an exciting young man, but people want to see him play more".
On whether he should stay:
"The next few weeks are going to be very important. I know that Hauge will sit down together with the club at the end of the season to assess his position. It is normal that the [playing] time may vary in the first season, but now he needs an honest and clear message from the side. If they give him enough confidence to play for the starting spot with another player, I think he should stay and fight. If, on the other hand, there is a clear fallback choice, I think he should go on loan. At his age, Hauge can't be staying on the bench every week, [it] is not acceptable and I know there are many clubs who would like him as a key player."
