The Norwegian newspapers are reporting that Roy Hodgson is interested in signing striker Thorstein Helstad.
Hodgson has brought plenty of players from that part of Europe to Fulham and is known to be considering adding a striker to his squad this month so this one could have some foundation. The club have had scouts at some of the recent Le Mans matches so we could be looking at the tall target man, who has a healthy goalscoring record.
Helstad has a strong history of scoring goals in his native Norway, topping the goalscoring charts with Brann in 2001 and 2005. He won the Austrian league, Cup and League Cup at Austria Vienna and then returned to Brann, where he scored an astounding 35 goals in 48 games in the space of two years. That earned him a €2 move to Le Mans in 2008 where he has continued to find the net.
He has interested English sides in the past, including Everton a couple of years ago. Helstad has 10 goals from 37 caps for Norway and the only thing that might count against a move is that he’s now 32. Here’s some Youtube footage for you to digest:
hmmmm Im not sure about this one. He seems to a be quite a proven goal scorer however he is quite old and might not be able to hack it in the EPL.
I think Roy is right to look at strikers however I would rather Okaka.
Don’t do this Roy. He’s a Nevland without the working and hard fighting. Not a good signing. Probably just a lie from some norwegian papers anyway. They have gotten a lot more interested in ‘norwegian’-Fulham lately.
Eirik.
http://www.fulhamsupporter.net
Interesting thoughts Eirik – thanks for those. Are there any Norwegian talents Roy should really be looking at instead?
Erik Huseklepp, playing for SK Brann went from a sub in his club to the national team last year. He is 25 years old. 15 goals and 13 assist last season. Club finished fifth in the league. Also a big fan of Per Ciljan Skjelbred from Rosenborg BK. Young and quick central midfielder / winger. Newcastle has been linked to him a couple of times. Extreme workrate.
Last, Henning Hauger, a central midfielder who has gotten a couple of chance for the national team under Drillo ‘The Mad Professor’. We could probably get him pretty cheap. Give him a season or two and im sure he’s Premership class.
Eirik.
We’ve been linked with Skjelbred a fair bit as well. He looks an excellent player. What kind of fee would we need to pay to get him? I’ll check out the other two.
Skjelbred…probably around 35 NOK, that would be around 3,3 mill. He’s ready for something bigger than RBK, so I’ll guess he’ll be leaving Norway next summer.
Here is a video of some of Huseklepp abilities: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgrA8XVaMSk
SkySports Clockwatch: Skjelbred bid from Fulham.