Isak Hansen-Aarøen

Isak Hansen-Aarøen
Personal information
Date of birth	22 August 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth	Tromsø, Norway
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team	AaB (on loan from Werder Bremen)
Number	23
Youth career
0000–2020	Tromsø
2020–2024	Manchester United
Senior career*
Years	Team
2020	Tromsø
2024–	Werder Bremen
2024	Werder Bremen II
2025–	→ AaB (loan)
International career‡
2019	Norway U15
2020	Norway U16
2021–2022	Norway U18
2022–2023	Norway U19
2023–	Norway U21
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:00, 18 May 2024 (UTC); ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 November 2024

Isak Hansen-Aarøen (born 22 August 2004) is a Norwegian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Danish Superliga club AaB, on loan from Bundesliga club Werder Bremen.

Hansen-Aarøen played for Tromsø's first-team at the age of 15, in the second-tier of Norwegian football, before joining Manchester United's youth system in 2020. He is a Norwegian youth international and has represented the country at under-15, under-16, under-18, under-19 and under-21 levels.

Club career

Tromsø and Manchester United

Hansen-Aarøen began his career in Tromsø's youth system.^[1] At the age of ten, he participated in the Manchester United Soccer Schools World Skills Final held at Manchester United's training facilities.^[2] In 2019, Hansen-Aarøen won the under-15 Talent of the Year award in a contest organised by the Norwegian Football Federation, TV 2 and Equinor's Heroes of Tomorrow initiative.^[3]

He made his senior debut for Tromsø on 6 July 2020, replacing Kent-Are Antonsen for the last minutes of a 2–0 win at Kongsvinger in a Norwegian 1. divisjon match.^[4] He became the youngest player in the club's history at the age of 15 years and 323 days.^[5]

In August 2020, he joined Manchester United.^[6]^[7] He had previously had trials with Liverpool and Everton.^[8]^[9] On 29 September he made his EFL Trophy debut for United's U21 team against Rochdale.^[10] On 2 October, he made his Premier League 2 debut against Blackburn Rovers U23s.^[11] On 27 August 2021, he signed his first professional contract with Manchester United.^[12]

Werder Bremen

On 1 February 2024, the last day of the German transfer window, Hansen-Aarøen joined Bundesliga club Werder Bremen.^[13] He reportedly signed a contract until 2028.^[13] He made his Bundesliga debut on 30 March 2024, coming on as a substitute for Skelly Alvero after 79 minutes in a 2–0 loss against VfL Wolfsburg.^[14] He made three appearances in total in the second half of the 2023–24 season.^[15]

In December 2024, after Hansen-Aarøen had not featured in the Bundesliga while scoring one goal in two Regionalliga Nord appearances for Werder Bremen's reserves, it was announced he would join Danish Superliga club Aalborg BK on loan for the second half of the season.^[15]

International career

Hansen-Aarøen has played internationally for Norway at under-15, under-16, under-18, under-19 and under-21 levels.^[16] On 20 February 2020, he scored a hat-trick against Slovakia under-16.^[17]

Career statistics

As of match played 18 May 2024^[18]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Europe		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Tromsø	2020	1. divisjon	7	0	—		—		—		—		7	0
Manchester United U21	2020–21	—	—		—		—		—		1^[a]	0	1	0
	2021–22	—	—		—		—		—		0	0	0	0
	2022–23	—	—		—		—		—		3^[a]	0	3	0
	Total		—		—		—		—		4	0	4	0
Werder Bremen	2023–24	Bundesliga	3	0	—		—		—		—		3	0
Career total			10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	14	0

^ ^a ^b Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy

Honours

Manchester United U18

FA Youth Cup: 2021–22^[19]

References

^ "Who is Isak Hansen-Aarøen? Manchester United signing in profile". Manchester Evening News. 13 August 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
^ "Isak (10) skal vise seg frem for Manchester United" (in Norwegian). Nordlys. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
^ "Julie og Isak er Årets talent 2019". fotball.no (in Norwegian). 21 November 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
^ "Kongsvinger vs. Tromsø". Soccerway. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
^ "Isak Hansen-Aarøen fylte 16 år så sent som i august. Nå avslører Ole Gunnar Solskjær at unggutten trolig hadde fått trene med Uniteds førstelag om det ikke var for koronapandemien". Nettavisen (in Norwegian). 11 December 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
^ Robertsen, Rune (13 July 2020). "De største talentene forsvinner". Sunnmørsposten (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
^ Luckhurst, Samuel (19 August 2019). "Manchester United complete Isak Hansen-Aarøen transfer". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
^ "Isak (13) skal prøvespille for Liverpool". NRK (in Norwegian). 30 October 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
^ "WONDERKID WIN Isak Hansen-Aaroen: Manchester United set to win race to sign Norwegian wonderkid also wanted by Liverpool and Everton". Talksport.com. 15 January 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
^ Luckhurst, Samuel (29 September 2020). "New Manchester United signings shine in win". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
^ Haugland, Mats (2 October 2020). "Isak (16) fikk nok en Manchester United-debut". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). Retrieved 24 November 2020.
^ Oredam, Michael (27 August 2021). "Tromsø-gutt Isak Hansen-Aarøen har klart å bite seg fast på Old Trafford". Sporten.com (in Norwegian). Retrieved 28 August 2021.
^ ^a ^b "Werder Bremen holt junges Talent von Manchester United" [Werder Bremen sign young talent from Manchester United]. buten un binnen (in German). 1 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
^ Winkelmann, Marius; Bürger, Malte (31 March 2024). "Werder Bremen: So lief die Startelf-Premiere für Skelly Alvero" [Werder Bremen: How Skelly Alvero's starting XI debut went]. Weser Kurier (in German). Retrieved 2 April 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Um Spielpraxis zu sammeln: Werder verleiht Hansen-Aaröen" [To gain match practice: Werder loans Hansen-Aaröen]. kicker (in German). 12 December 2024. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
^ "Isak Hansen-Aarøen" (in Norwegian). fotball.no. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
^ "United-klare Isak (15) fra Tromsø scoret hat trick for Norge: Reiser ikke til Spania med TIL" (in Norwegian). itromso.no. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^ Isak Hansen-Aarøen at Soccerway. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
^ "Man Utd 3-1 Nottingham Forest: Home side clinch FA Youth Cup in front of record crowd at Old Trafford". Sky Sports. 11 May 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2022.

External links

Isak Hansen-Aarøen at Soccerway
Isak Hansen-Aarøen – UEFA competition record (archive)

[EFLT-19] Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy

[1] "Who is Isak Hansen-Aarøen? Manchester United signing in profile". Manchester Evening News. 13 August 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2022.

[2] "Isak (10) skal vise seg frem for Manchester United" (in Norwegian). Nordlys. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2021.

[3] "Julie og Isak er Årets talent 2019". fotball.no (in Norwegian). 21 November 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2022.

[4] "Kongsvinger vs. Tromsø". Soccerway. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.

[5] "Isak Hansen-Aarøen fylte 16 år så sent som i august. Nå avslører Ole Gunnar Solskjær at unggutten trolig hadde fått trene med Uniteds førstelag om det ikke var for koronapandemien". Nettavisen (in Norwegian). 11 December 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.

[6] Robertsen, Rune (13 July 2020). "De største talentene forsvinner". Sunnmørsposten (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2020.

[7] Luckhurst, Samuel (19 August 2019). "Manchester United complete Isak Hansen-Aarøen transfer". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 15 July 2020.

[8] "Isak (13) skal prøvespille for Liverpool". NRK (in Norwegian). 30 October 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2021.

[9] "WONDERKID WIN Isak Hansen-Aaroen: Manchester United set to win race to sign Norwegian wonderkid also wanted by Liverpool and Everton". Talksport.com. 15 January 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2020.

[10] Luckhurst, Samuel (29 September 2020). "New Manchester United signings shine in win". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 24 November 2020.

[aftenposten-11] Haugland, Mats (2 October 2020). "Isak (16) fikk nok en Manchester United-debut". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). Retrieved 24 November 2020.

[12] Oredam, Michael (27 August 2021). "Tromsø-gutt Isak Hansen-Aarøen har klart å bite seg fast på Old Trafford". Sporten.com (in Norwegian). Retrieved 28 August 2021.

[werder-13] "Werder Bremen holt junges Talent von Manchester United" [Werder Bremen sign young talent from Manchester United]. buten un binnen (in German). 1 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.

[14] Winkelmann, Marius; Bürger, Malte (31 March 2024). "Werder Bremen: So lief die Startelf-Premiere für Skelly Alvero" [Werder Bremen: How Skelly Alvero's starting XI debut went]. Weser Kurier (in German). Retrieved 2 April 2024.

[aalborg-15] "Um Spielpraxis zu sammeln: Werder verleiht Hansen-Aaröen" [To gain match practice: Werder loans Hansen-Aaröen]. kicker (in German). 12 December 2024. Retrieved 12 December 2024.

[16] "Isak Hansen-Aarøen" (in Norwegian). fotball.no. Retrieved 21 May 2024.

[17] "United-klare Isak (15) fra Tromsø scoret hat trick for Norge: Reiser ikke til Spania med TIL" (in Norwegian). itromso.no. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2020.

[18] Isak Hansen-Aarøen at Soccerway. Retrieved 21 May 2024.

[youthcup-20] "Man Utd 3-1 Nottingham Forest: Home side clinch FA Youth Cup in front of record crowd at Old Trafford". Sky Sports. 11 May 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2022.

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