Winger Sindre Walle Egeli has quickly got used to the label of "the new Haaland", although he admitted that he is far from being the world's top scorer.
However, the internet viral moment where someone used AI to put Haaland's face on Egeli's body was not just a joke.
The two have already played together for the Norwegian national team and the similarity of their talents is undeniable.
Egeli is currently the most expensive player in the history of the English second division. Ipswich Town paid a record £17.5 million for him to Danish side Nordsjælland in August 2025, surpassing Mike Tresor's previous record.
The 19-year-old native of Larvik most often plays on the right wing as an 'inverted winger', with the ball at his powerful left foot, he guides play into the middle and fires with a similar uncompromisingness as his more famous national team colleague.
In Norway's youth selections, Egeli has even scored more goals than Haaland did at the same age, making him an extremely sought-after commodity who is closely watched by Newcastle and Portugal's Benfica.
But his road to the top has not been paved with roses. As a seven-year-old, he experienced a lifetime of trauma that propels him forward today. He went to his first big game at Anfield with his parents to see his then role model, Daniel Sturridge, in action.
But there was a shock at the turnstiles. His family fell for the scammers who sold them nothing but worthless fake tickets. Little Sindre cried outside the stadium gates that night.
But it was this experience that brought out the bulldog in him. Twelve years later, he returned to England not as a fan but as a multi-million-pound signing with ambitions to one day celebrate his own goals at Anfield.
He confirmed at the age of 15 at Sandefjord in Norway that he is no pushover.
When he refused to sign a new contract and opted for a move to Denmark, the club tried to break him. He was banned from the stands for six months, not allowed to play matches, and the coaches even refused to issue him a GPS vest for data tracking during training.
But it didn't break Egeli. With a private coach, he honed his technique in the evenings, and today he reflects on that period as the moment that toughened him mentally for the world's harshest football environment, the Championship.
It's the story of a boy who, at 19, wears a price tag of over half a billion kroner, has made his debut for Norway and dreams of a call-up for this summer's World Cup, where he could be covering Haaland's back.
While his transition to the physically demanding England has so far been marked by flashes of genius rather than steady productivity, his technical ceiling and mental toughness suggest that we will be hearing a lot about him in the years to come.
Physical parameters
Egeli stands at 183 centimetres, which makes him a tall and elegant player for the winger position. Unlike the subtle footballers we often see on the edges of the pitch, he has a solid frame and the physical attributes for the toughest competitions in the world.
Yet, looking at his current stature, it is evident that he is still in a phase of physical development. In the Danish league, his physique was enough to dominate technically, but after moving to the Championship, which is considered one of the toughest leagues in the world in terms of duels, Egeli stumbled.
While Opta's data analysis doesn't offer a public figure for top speed, his dynamism and relentless movement are confirmed by other metrics.
Among players tracked in the Under-21 Championship with at least 900 minutes played, Egeli is the second most active footballer in terms of ball management (over 14 carries per game) and also performs solidly in terms of progressive runs longer than 10 metres.
These numbers clearly show that Egeli is constantly on the move and his activity tires out the opposition's defensive line, creating space for his teammates.
However, there are also weaknesses that need to be mentioned that have so far prevented him from playing more regularly and which are also perceived by Tractor Boys fans.
In shoulder-to-shoulder battles, Egeli has often pulled the short end of the stick so far. He is one of the worst wingers in the competition in terms of the number of duels won.
Under pressure from more experienced defenders, he tends to lose stability or fall too easily, which in England is rarely whistled as a foul by referees.
Coach Kieran McKenna himself has repeatedly stressed in press conferences that Egeli needs to work on his ability to hold the ball up under pressure.
Egeli's first season in England is reminiscent of the beginnings of former Ipswich midfielder Omari Hutchinson. He too was initially outclassed physically by others before adapting to the pace and is now a steady presence at Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.
Unless Egeli gains the necessary muscle mass in the coming months, he will become an unsolvable conundrum for defenders.
Technical parameters
If we were looking for the truest comparison for Egeli's style among the world's stars, it would undoubtedly be Arjen Robben.
His strongest weapon is his utterly dominant left foot, with which he can showcase great creative solutions.
Egeli possesses an excellent first touch, and even sharp passes under pressure are impressive.
It is his ability to control the ball at top speed that makes him a terror to opposing defences. Opta's data confirms this: among the U21 players tracked in the Championship, Egeli is the overwhelming number one in the 'Shot Ending Carries' metric.
Egeli is simply not afraid to take charge, run full speed through two opposing players and create a lightning-fast cross.
The data shows that Egeli is seventh in the league in Expected Goals (xG) among U21 players and even fourth best in the Expected Assists (xA) metric from open play.
A particularly interesting element of his game is the variation in finishing. Egeli often uses the so-called 'trivela' (finishing with the outside of the foot), which he practiced for hours as a kid, following his role model Daniel Sturridge.
This skill allows him to send in unexpected crosses or shots from angles that defenders don't normally cover. A calling card of 11 goals and eight assists from last season's Danish Superliga is an argument that simply cannot be dismissed for a teenager in senior football.
In the current season, he has afour goals and two assists in the Championship, which shows that he has been able to slowly acclimatise to the demanding league.
Even more impressive are his stats in the Norwegian Under-21 national team, where he has recorded five goals and three assists in just five games in the ongoing Euro qualifiers.
Moreover, at the last national team meeting, he showed off his other previously undiscovered ability. In the match against the Netherlands, he impressed with a precisely played free-kick into the top corner.
But we must also name his technical limitations. Egeli is an extremely one-footed player at the moment. He basically uses his right foot only for support, which can make him too predictable.
Another point for discussion is his ability to quickly assess the situation on the pitch. In the heat of the game, Egeli sometimes tries to tackle situations too quickly and too hastily, which leads to his passes being either too sharp or inaccurate.
In the Championship, where there is less time to do everything than in Denmark, this rashness is more prevalent than coach McKenna would like.
Personality
Egeli is under constant scrutiny in the Norwegian media, with comparisons to Erling Haaland being the order of the day.
Such pressure could easily break even the more experienced players, but Egeli comes across as phlegmatic. When he came on in the 84th minute against Kazakhstan in the Nations League, right alongside the star Haaland, there was not the slightest nervousness.
While the internet immediately branded him a 'clone', he himself shows humility in interviews with the Guardian and BBC: "I'm not even close. Haaland is the best in the world, I'm just getting started."
At Ipswich, he is one of the last to stay in training. English fans have taken a particular liking to him because of his workmanlike disposition.
Egeli doesn't drop a fight even when the match isn't going well. Even on social media, he lives up to the image of a disciplined professional.
No controversy, no expensive parties. His social bubble is limited to his family and a circle of close friends, including Sverre Nypan from Manchester City.
A fascinating detail, then, is his relationship with his grandfather. Sindre telephones him after every game and the grandfather, who watches his grandson's matches repeatedly on tape, provides valuable feedback.
The relationship with the management team at Ipswich is exemplary, according to behind-the-scenes information.
Kieran McKenna refers to him as a studious student who soaks up tactical instructions immediately. Moreover, Egeli is not the type of player to argue with referees or gesticulate at teammates after a misplaced pass.
He comes across more as an introverted, quiet youngster who leads others by example in commitment.
Where could he go from here?
Although Egeli has only been at Ipswich for a one season, his name is already shining bright red in the notebooks of sporting directors across Europe.
Currently, the interest of Benfica and Ajax resonates the loudest. For both of these clubs, Egeli represents ideal material to be polished.
While Benfica see him as a natural successor to their technical wingers, at Ajax he would fit perfectly into a traditional 4-3-3 system. The estimated price tag is already in the €20-30 million range (£17-26m).
In the Premier League, the situation is reportedly most closely monitored by Newcastle United. The Magpies could undoubtedly use a dynamic winger with such potential, but the question remains whether it is too early for Egeli to make the next leap within England.
A return to the continent, specifically to a more technical league, could give him the space he needs to grow as a player without having to undergo extremely tough battles with Championship stoppers every weekend.
It is the debate about whether Egeli has what it takes to become a mainstay in the top five leagues now, or whether he needs an ideal intermediate position first, that will be the main topic of transfer speculation in the summer of 2026.
Rating
Sindre Walle Egeli is undoubtedly one of the most exciting offensive talents Scandinavia has produced in recent years.
His calling card as the "Haaland conqueror" in the youth statistics is no coincidence. He possesses a technical gift that cannot be taught and a mental setup that even more experienced footballers can envy.
The record price tag in the Championship may tie him down to some extent, but his current productivity proves that he is learning to work with the pressure.
In the future, he will have to prove that he can be productive even in games where defenders don't give him an inch of space.
However, the potential in him is huge and the fact that he is being compared to Robben or Haaland at 19 years old says it all. This Norwegian has a very original story of his own.