Manchester United waved goodbye to midfielder Isak Hansen-Aaroen on transfer deadline day as he pursued first team football.
Kobbie Mainoo has enjoyed a remarkable rise since winning the FA Youth Cup in 2022. He was part of a three-man midfield who led the team to silverware.
Another part of that midfield, Dan Gore, made his first team debut last September, but Isak Hansen-Aaroen was the odd man out.
Hansen-Aaroen had played first team football at Tromso when he was 15 before joining United and grew impatient with a lack of opportunities. He forced through an exit in January.
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Isak Hansen-Aaroen makes Bundesliga debut
Isak Hansen-Aaroen was sold to Werder Bremen on transfer deadline day, with United electing to let him leave rather than lose him on a free in the summer. United received a six-figure deal for his services.
Hansen-Aaroen was not provided with instant first team opportunities, and was also hit with a thigh muscle injury in mid-February. He has had to prove himself in a new environment.
Last week his manager Oli Werner had offered him some hope, commenting via Liga Insider: “He is a player I want to work with for a long time. The door is of course open for him to have good training performances.”
Now, two months in, he has been granted the opportunity he has been waiting for, justifying his decision to quit Manchester United.
Hansen-Aaroen made his Bundesliga debut on Saturday, coming off the bench in the 79th minute of their 2-0 home defeat to Wolfsburg. The score was 1-0 at the time he came on.
The Norwegian did not make a big impact, with eight touches and one yellow card. Still, it was a big step forward simply to be playing senior football again, and this was a significant day for him.
He had been an unused substitute four times for the Bundesliga’s 10th placed team. He was one of three players to make their debuts for Bremen in Saturday’s defeat.
BILD reported how his performance provided little to shout about, branding it ‘not yet impressive’, but also noted the context of his debut appearance and big step forward.
The 19-year-old signed for Manchester United in 2020 and is a Norway under-21 international with three goals in eight games.
He played 84 academy games for Manchester United and needed a fresh challenge. His first team debut for Werder Bremen shows he is moving in the right direction.
Isak Hansen-Aaroen clauses
Manchester United fans were upset to see Isak Hansen-Aaroen leave, believing he had a lot of potential to be a success at the club, but recognised why he wanted out, with no opportunities forthcoming.
United preferred to sell for a small fee, in order to exercise some influence on his future. The MEN reported as per terms of the sale, that United have a ‘significant’ sell-on fee.
Importantly, there is also a clause in which United can match any future bid for Hansen-Aaroen, presenting the opportunity for a return down the line
Werder head coach Ole Werner commented at the time: “Isak is a very skilful player. It’s hard to get the ball off and has a good understanding of the game. He’s got a lot going for him already, but he’s got a lot of potential to get even better.”