On what happened after that game against Milan in EL: “After the game, everything went very quickly. I didn’t have to think twice about it. If a club like Milan makes you an offer, you have to take it. I really wanted to give something back to the club that gave me this chance in the first place. Back when I was still very young, they believed in me and gave me a chance. That’s why I’m just happy that Bodo got money from my sale.”
On rejecting Cercle Bruges: “Bodo and Bruges had agreed on a sum and the club was happy. But I refused because we saw that there were still many options.”
On playing at Bodo as a child: “Back then I wasn’t thinking about scouts or a professional career at all, I just enjoyed spending time with my friends on the football field.”
On the video of him studying Italian while in the plane after finishing a match and going back to Italy: “There wasn’t much time between the game in the evening and training in the morning. So it was a good time.”
On playing for the Norwegian national team: “It was almost a bit strange, because I had to leave before I could even settle in. And after the international matches, the program was full again in Italy with Serie A and Europa League.”
On his place in the squad: “I knew it might take some time before I play regularly.”
On Ibrahimovic’s impact: “Even in training he has very high demands. It is great to have the chance to learn from him every day. He speaks to me a lot and gives me tips. How he plays, how we play and how I can play, how I work with the ball and without it.”
On playing in a young squad: “That is one of the reasons why I actually chose to sign with AC Milan. Because there are a lot of guys like me here who are still at the very beginning of their careers and who want to get better every day. The football that we play here fits me perfectly. It is fast, offensive and dominant.”
On his compatriots Haaland, Odegaard and Sander Berge: “There are many young Norwegian players that are performing at the highest level right now. The fans and the media are very excited about this new generation.”
On his friendship with Haaland: “I’ve played with him in many junior national teams and also now in the senior team. I try to learn from him because he’s so talented but still so humble. How hard he works every day is exemplary. I try to be like him. he inspires me. And most of all he is a role model for so many young players in Norway.”
On the Scudetto race: “That is a good question. We’ll talk again after the next 10 or 15 games. I think it is possible.”
