GdS: €200k to €50m – why Milan may feel regret over Norway star Strand Larsen

Football is full of sliding doors moments, and one of them involves Jorgen Strand Larsen, who scored at San Siro after his brief past with AC Milan.

La Gazzetta dello Sport look back at Strand Larsen’s short stint in Italy, with the important premise that hindsight is a great benefit, one that turns logical decisions at the time into being great regrets. However, the Norwegian’s goal against Italy at the Meazza was a seismic moment for him.

He joined Milan Primavera team eight years ago and not necessarily just as a temporary move. He arrived on loan from Sarpsborg with a low option to buy set. In short, he spent a season with the youth team as a sort of trial.

From Sarpsborg to San Siro

The Sarpsborg sporting director said at the time of his move: “A great opportunity for Jorgen. Training in completely professional conditions at a big club like Milan is fantastic.” For him, it truly seemed like the beginning of a beautiful fairytale: from the 60,000 inhabitants of Sarpsborg to Milan.

He joined the Primavera team first coached first by Gattuso and then by Lupi. Along with his U19 team-mates, he even paraded at San Siro before Milan-Cagliari in August 2017 in front of 50,000 fans.

Some of those teammates, like him, are now well-known faces in professional football: Gabbia, Pobega, Bellanova and Brescianini. That Primavera side finished the season in seventh place in the league and with the disappointment of losing the Coppa Italia final to Torino.

How did Jorgen fare? He scored five goals spread over 1,260 minutes, with 20 league appearances, seven in the Coppa Italia, and three at the Viareggio tournament. Not a brilliant goal-scoring average, but he was obviously a prospect to – eventually – persist with and invest in.

The Norwegian struggled to make a name for himself, especially with Lupi, with whom he hadn’t clicked. The underlying intention was to buy him, especially since the transfer fee was only €200,000, and the youngster had integrated well: polite and professional, and he learned Italian immediately. A change in management followed, so Jorgen returned to his hometown.

“My first year of football in Italy is over. I joined a great team and a group of good players. One thing I’ve learned is to never give up! I’m still very grateful for a great experience,” was his farewell on social media to the world of Milan.

A return to Sarpsborg followed, then the spotlight shone on him first at Groningen, then at Celta Vigo, where he achieved his breakthrough. Ultimately, 2024 was the year of his leap to the Premier League paradise, to Wolverhampton Wanderers for around €30m.

Last summer, Wolves repelled a €50m bid from Newcastle. On Sunday night at San Siro, Strand Larsen displayed his qualities, and it’s hard not to call him a regret for a team that has been desperately searching for a centre-forward for years.