Mats Møller Dæhli


Mats Møller Dæhli is a Norwegian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Genk.
Born in Oslo, he was previously contracted to English club Manchester United, where he played for the reserve team. He joined Norwegian club Molde, then managed by former Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjær, in July 2013 and made his professional debut the same year. He transferred to Cardiff City in January 2014, after Solskjær had been hired as manager of the Welsh club.
Dæhli has been a key player for every Norwegian youth team up to under-19 level. He has also played for the under-21 team, and made the step up to the senior team in 2013.

Early life

Dæhli was born in Oslo to Mette Møller, a photographer for Dagbladet, and Truls Dæhli, a sports journalist for Verdens Gang. He grew up at Ullevål Hageby in Oslo, but lived in London for two years when his father worked as a correspondent for VG. While living in London, the seven-year-old Dæhli attended a training session with Chelsea. After returning to Oslo, he spent most of his childhood playing for Lyn, but after the club was bankrupted in 2010 he had a spell at Stabæk, where he was described by Pål Berg, one of Stabæk's coaches, as "an exceptional talent with superior technique". He played for the reserve team in the 2. Divisjon, before he returned to Lyn.
Dæhli was discovered at the age of 12 by the talent scout John Vik, who recommended Manchester United to sign the player. Dæhli trained with United a couple of times before he signed a contract with the club in November 2010, and he joined the academy in February 2011.

Club career

Manchester United

Dæhli signed a professional contract with Manchester United on his 17th birthday, and made his debut for the reserves in the match against West Bromwich later the same month. His skillful performances for Paul McGuinness' Under-18s led to his elevation to the reserve squad in July 2012, and he scored the match-winning goal against Irish side Longford on 22 July 2012 after an assist from countryman Joshua King. He won the "Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award" at the end of his maiden season for Manchester United.

Molde

In July 2013, he returned to Norway to sign a two-and-a-half-year contract with former Manchester United forward Ole Gunnar Solskjær's club Molde, though it has been suggested that United requested a clause in Dæhli's contract giving them the opportunity to re-sign him in the future. He made his professional début when he replaced Daniel Chima at half time in the Tippeligaen game against Brann on 3 August 2013. Solskjær praised Dæhli after his performance in the semi-final of the 2013 Norwegian Football Cup against Lillestrøm, and claimed that Dæhli could have been playing at Manchester United's first-team if he hadn't returned to Norway. Solskjær also compared him to Adnan Januzaj, stating that the two played together at the under-18 team and that it was Dæhli that won the "Player of the Year" award. During Dæhli's first eight matches in the Tippeligaen, 91.88% of his passes were successful, and was a contributor to Molde's good form during the second half of the 2013 season. In October 2013 Dæhli was awarded the "Statoil Talent of the Month" award.

Cardiff City

Dæhli returned to the Premier League on 11 January 2014, joining up with former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær at Cardiff City for an undisclosed fee, making him their second signing of the window after fellow Norwegian Magnus Wolff Eikrem. Solskjær stated upon signing Dæhli for the second time in his managerial career: "It's taken a bit of time because we've met some competition from Manchester United signing Mats and I'm glad to say he's chosen to come to Cardiff. That shows the desire he has for doing well for Cardiff. Mats is an outstanding talent. He'll be 19 in March, he's just made his debut for Norway - made two appearances in November - so he'll give us energy and enthusiasm."
Dæhli made his debut for Cardiff on 25 January 2014 in the 2013–14 FA Cup fourth round victory over Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium, coming on for Joe Mason in the 79th minute of the game.
Dæhli scored a 95th-minute equaliser after coming on at half-time as Cardiff twice came back to steal a potentially crucial point against West Bromwich Albion on 29 March 2014.

SC Freiburg

On 22 December 2014, Dæhli agreed to join Bundesliga club SC Freiburg in the January 2015 transfer window. He made his debut against Borussia Mönchengladbach in a 1–0 defeat.

FC St. Pauli

On 18 January 2017, Dæhli went on loan to Bundesliga club FC St. Pauli, who had the option of making the transfer permanent when the loan agreement ended on 30 June 2018. The club availed themselves of this opportunity, signing Dæhli permanently on 1 July 2018.

International career

Dæhli made his debut for the Norwegian under-15 team against Sweden U15 in 2010, and in an under-15 tournament against Spain, France and Netherlands in October 2010 he was named "player of the tournament". After his performances for Norwegian youth teams, he was dubbed the most talented footballers in Norway by the former footballers Hallvard Thoresen and Nils Johan Semb while Ole Gunnar Solskjær called him one of the biggest talents in Europe and was compared to Xavi by TV 2-pundit Morten Langli.
Dæhli decided in August 2012 to take a break from Norwegian youth team, after he was promoted to Manchester United's reserve team to reduce the number of matches, as he was playing for both United's under-18 and reserve team. The next month he had a meeting with under-21 coach Per Joar Hansen, after the under-21 match against England U-21, where Hansen told Dæhli that he soon wanted Dæhli to play for the under-21 team. After qualifying for the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, Hansen successor Tor Ole Skullerud, stated that he might include Dæhli in the squad for the championship.
After Dæhli's break from Norwegian youth teams was over, he was selected for the under-19 squad that was playing three matches at La Manga Club in February 2013. He was suspended from the last match, after receiving yellow cards in the first two matches, and together with Ivar Furu Dæhli was promoted to the under-21 squad that was also playing at La Manga. The 17-year-old made his debut for the under-21 team when he replaced Kristoffer Larsen after 60 minutes in the semi-final of the 2011–13 International Challenge Trophy against Russia U-21 on 7 February 2013. When Skullerud announced the squad for friendly matches against Spain U-21 and Netherlands U-21 he did not call up Dæhli, and stated that because the under-19 team were playing qualification matches as the under-21 championship, he would not bring Dæhli to Israel unless he was a certain starter. Instead of playing in the under-21 championship, Dæhli was a part of the under-19 team that played three matches in the elite qualification for the 2013 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship, where Norway finished second behind Netherlands U-19.
At the age of 18, Dæhli was for the first time called up for the Norwegian national team squad for the friendly matches against Scotland and Denmark in November 2013.

Career statistics

Club

International

National teamYearAppsGoals
Norway201320
Norway201491
Norway201510
Norway201610
Norway201770
Norway201810
Norway201920
NorwayTotal231

International goals

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetitionRef
1.10 October 2014Ta' Qali National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta1 – 03–0 2016 UEFA Euro qualification

Honours

Club

Molde