In a recent interview with Norwegian media channel, Nettavisen, Jonatan Braut Brunes, the cousin of Erling Haaland at Man City, opens up about his special drama at OH Leuven, not being much satisfied with what happened regarding his supposed transfer to Metz and of course lack of playing time.
The former Strømsgodset striker was sold to OH Leuven this summer, where he played a total of 14 games from the start last season. The 23-year-old had to face the end of the series in the play-offs as a result of having a pair of wisdom teeth removed, and characterizes his first season in Belgium in the following way after three goals in a total of 1300 minutes in the series and play-offs.
It is always challenging to come to a new country and a new culture. There are new ways to train and communicate, Brunes tells Nettavisen. Opening up about the transition drama. He says that most things in the area take place in French. This has made the acclimatization from Norway even more challenging, and the striker is clear that his debut season outside Norway has been disappointing.
I have been here for less than a year, but have had three different coaches. It’s been turbulent that way, and I didn’t find the flow until around Christmas, he says. In the January window, Nettavisen reported that Braut Brunes was only minutes away from a move to Ligue 1 and French club Metz.
The Norwegian striker, who was also at the Etihad to celebrate his cousin Erling Braut Haaland’s league gold with Manchester City, should, according to Nettavisen’s information, have been part of a trade on deadline day. However, the entire transfer stalled when the transfer documents were not submitted until a few minutes after the deadline.
We knew the window closed at 11pm in France and at midnight in Belgium. Everything was sent in and ready, and then it was one of the clubs that was two minutes late. We had hoped that it could be arranged, but then I received a counter-notification that it did not work. It was a gigantic downturn, says Brunes frankly.
The situation also meant that things were not as they used to be when he instead had to show up at Leuven training the day after the transfer drama. It is impossible that it will not be noticed. There were slightly cooler conditions from various trainers. Then it took some time before you could clear the air and put it behind you, but it will be special. In the end, it went so far that Brunes trooped up to the coach’s office, after he was suddenly benched.
I had to knock on the door and get it cleaned up. I was very annoyed after being benched in a few matches, he says. What did the boss say when you showed up at his door? He thought it was good. He said he wants players who care, and then he said what I have to work on. After the talk it was a week or two before I played regularly, so it sort of worked out. OH Leuven finished in 12th place in the Belgian league, before they had to play the so-called placement play-offs.
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