Derby County defender Sondre Langas has continued to be selected for Norway duty despite questions arising over his January transfer.
Derby County centre half Sondre Langas has reasoned that his most recent international call-up for his native Norway has justified his move to Pride Park in the winter transfer window – despite the fact that, at the time, it was questioned by his national team boss.
Outspoken Stale Solbakken, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager, publicly expressed his dismay after Langas had completed his move to Derby before the January window closed. Towering centre back Langas, 24, agreed a four-and-a-half year deal and it was Solbakken’s belief that he could have secured a move to a top five European league.
Langas, who has made seven appearances for the Rams to this point and played alongside the likes of Nat Phillips and Matt Clarke since joining, was previously in Norway with Viking. Solbakken was of the opinion that he should’ve remained there until the summer and then secured what he deemed to be a move to a higher level.
For Langas, though, he has settled into his new surroundings quickly and clearly has no regrets about the decision to join a side which has changed managers since his arrival; John Eustace’s impact proved to be a slow burner but the Rams won three straight games before this international break.
The defender is adamant that, under Eustace, Derby will be remaining in the Championship and views his continued selection in the Norway fold – alongside the likes of Premier League talents Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard – as an endorsement of his performances since moving to England, despite Solbakken’s previous comments.
“We haven’t talked about it much, but for me it was motivation that he said it,” Langas told the Norwegian press. “I understand his side of it, that it’s scary with relegation and that part of it. I have absolute faith that we won’t be relegated, and now I’m sitting here, so he must have seen that it’s gone well!
“I didn’t think much about it. I understand that there will be some controversy when a national team coach comes out and says something like that. He gets to say what he thinks and is just honest, and for me that’s nice. It’s motivation to show myself more.”
Langas believes he’s fared largely pretty well since joining the club; in what was a difficult situation, he has contributed in the Rams’ recent turnaround, which they’ll be seeking to pick up immediately when they return to domestic action next week against Preston North End.
