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City are closing in on a big move for one of Norway’s hottest young prospects
Jens Hjertø-Dahl has been compared with Jude Bellingham(Image: Johnny Fidelin/Icon Sport via Getty Images)
Talented Tromsø midfielder Jens Hjertø-Dahl is in East Yorkshire as he looks to wrap up his move to Premier League side Hull City.
The Norway Under-21 midfielder has attracted no shortage of interest in recent weeks, but it looks like City have moved quickly to snap him up and bring him to the MKM Stadium.
All being well, the deal will be signed and sealed to enable him to train with his new teammates at Cottingham later in the week ahead of the weekend trip to Frankfurt.
A powerful operator in the engine room at the age of 20, Hjertø-Dahl had even been likened to England and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham by one of his former coaches.
While that may seem an extravagant comparison, Hull Live chatted to Rune Robertsen, sports editor at iTromsø, who covers the Norwegian side, to find out why City are spending big money on the youngster…
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Why do you think there’s so much interest in him?
Jens has been hailed as a talent since he was very young, and has been watched in national teams since then. He has a considerate physical size in combination with good feet, and can also shoot well from distance. This package makes him interesting, as many midfielders are lower in height.
What type of player, and person, is he?
He has, for a big part of his senior career been used as a defensive midfielder, but the last year he has been used more as a regular and more offensive midfielder. Tromsø plays with a dynamic trio in the middle, and he can be used in all roles.
As a person, my impression is that he is humble about the challenges he faces, ever since he started training with the first team six years ago. He still has a spark that makes him very determined, and he has developed this skill over the last couple of years, making him an integral part of a team that is one of the best in the Norwegian league. Driving the game up and down in the middle of the park has been seen a lot.
What can Hull City fans expect?
I think they will be surprised by the speed of the ball and Jens’ technical ability. It will be exciting to see how he can meet the intensity and physical part of Premier League.
One of his former coaches likened him to Jude Bellingham. Is that a fair comparison?
Comparison of players is difficult, but some resemblance to Bellingham is possible to see.
How do you think he’ll settle into life in England, and is his game suited to the Premier League?
This is the big question, with the level of Eliteserien and Premier League being far apart. With that being said, the Eliteserien is quite fast-paced compared to other similar leagues. Norwegians can easily settle in for life in England, as we have been raised with a close relationship to England and English football. It’s really hard to say if he can go straight in to make a difference for Hull City, or if he needs some weeks or months to establish himself. In Tromsø, he developed fast and also took hard times in a good manner, overcoming them.
How disappointed will Tromsø’s fans be to see him go, and will they follow his progress with City?
Tromsø-fans has been expecting a transfer away from the club. With the money now coming in, I think most fans understand that this is happening. As a local lad from Tromsø, I expect that he will be followed closely in Hull.
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