When Jens Petter Hauge was asked about his compatriot Erling Haaland on Thursday, the 21-year-old Norwegian kept a straight face on the podium in the press conference room.

Hauge, the new Eintracht professional, looked serious and focused during his presentation in the World Cup arena.

English was the language of his choice and he specifically didn't want an interpreter at his side.

The Dortmund Bundesliga star Haaland was "a fantastic player", he was "difficult to stop," said Hauge.

This Saturday (6.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and Sky), for the Bundesliga kick-off at BVB, the two “good” friends will meet at once. The joy of reunion will be correspondingly great on both sides. Hauge and Haaland know each other from the senior national team and the junior selection teams. Like Haaland, he tries to work hard on himself, he inspires him, Hauge had said elsewhere.

Before Hauge moved from AC Milan to Frankfurt earlier this week, they both spoke on the phone.

Haaland made his national team colleague nine months older than him looking forward to the Bundesliga.

Like Ante Rebić, his former teammate in Milan, who had also advised him to move to Main.

"Ante only said positive things about the club and the city," reported Hauge, who emphasized that he would believe in the "Frankfurt project".

"I haven't played that much"

The Norwegian feels fit for a job in Dortmund. "Even if I didn't play much in preparation, I'm in great shape," said Hauge. He “trained well and worked hard. If the coach wants me to be in the squad, I'll be ready. ”At the moment he just said he was missing match practice. In the last nine games of the season he was only left with a place on the bench. The bottom line is that Hauge never played over 90 minutes in Milan.

“I didn't play that much, but I look back with a good feeling because I've learned a lot.” At AC he was still preparing for the season. His preferred position is the left flank. But there in Frankfurt is the territory of Filip Kostić, who is inviolable. However, if the Serbs were to change clubs, Hauge, who says of himself that he can “run a lot”, would be the first choice as his successor.

Currently, the versatile Hauge is probably best on the right side, where Danny da Costa and Erik Durm could not claim a regular place.

"I don't see myself in a fixed position and can adapt to the team's style of play very well." Hauge proved in Milan that he can play at the top level.

To be able to use this constantly in the future will be his challenge for the Hessians.

Hauge plays with Eintracht in the Europa League this season.

He scored for AC Milan on his debut in Glasgow, and the Norwegian was also successful in the second leg.

Hauge was noticed by the Italians in the Europa League qualification when he impressed with one goal and one assist in the service of Bodø / Glimt in the defeat in San Siro.

AC Hauge then had to pay five million euros in transfer fees, at the time that was the record price in Norway. Superstar Zlatan Ibrahimović was one of his teammates in Milan. It is “unbelievable how Ibra trains. He sets the bar very high. You don't make easy mistakes with him, ”said Hauge. He continues to practice the “tricks” that Ibrahimović showed him.

From the Bundesliga, Wolfsburg and Leipzig are said to have been interested in signing Hauge in the past. Hauge said he had spoken often with Frankfurt sports director Markus Krösche, who previously worked in Leipzig. His compatriot Jan-Åge Fjørtoft is fondly remembered in Frankfurt. “I would be proud if people would remember me as they did him.” There is one thing that Hauge does not want to emulate. "I hope I don't have to save the club from relegation," he said, grinning this time.