Barcelona are eager to sign Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland in the summer transfer window. Haaland has so far had a dream season, scoring 31 goals in 29 games in all competitions.
As per AS, new Barca President Joan Laporta is keen on bringing Haaland to Nou Camp as part of his new project, which also includes extending Lionel Messi’s contract. Laporta wants to use his closeness to Haaland’s agent Mino Raiola to help seal the deal. The Catalan side were recently linked with the signature of Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero.
Haaland’s current contract with the German club expires in 2024, and recent reports have indicated that his release clause is €75 million, but it will come into effect only in 2022.
Erling Haaland: Which club should he join?
Several clubs will be interested in Erling Haaland in the summer, thanks to his phenomenal goalscoring ability that he has shown over the last couple of years. Manchester City are one of the many clubs that is expected to rival Barcelona to the signature of the 20-year-old striker.
Haaland will have several options to choose from as there will most likely be a bidding war involving several of Europe’s elite. Choosing between Manchester City and Barcelona could be a tricky one for Haaland. Barca are, by far, the bigger club, when compared to City, but the English side have had more success in recent years.
The Catalan club have been in the news for all the wrong reasons over the last 18 months, from sacking managers to their Champions League knockout, and the Lionel Messi contract dispute all enveloped by the messy lead up to the Presidential elections. It isn’t going right on or off the pitch for Barcelona. They will have to get their financial situation in order, build an entirely new squad – with or without Messi – and figure out who will lead the club to glory.
Manchester City, on the other hand, may not currently have the prestige that Barca possesses in Europe, but are much closer to winning the Champions League than the Catalan club. They have a stable set-up, be it in the boardroom or on the pitch, and have one of the best, if not the best, manager, in Pep Guardiola. They have also shown this season that they are back to their best. Their defence looks solid with the addition of Ruben Dias and the surprising return to form of John Stones.
City’s midfield has strength, energy and creativity, led by Kevin de Bruyne. But, it’s the role up front that has been a problem, of sorts. Gabriel Jesus is not a world-class striker who can take over from Sergio Aguero, while Aguero himself looks set to leave the club.
Haaland’s best option at the moment will be to sign with Manchester City, where he has a strong chance of winning domestic silverware, while he could also be the missing piece for City to finally win the Champions League. He also has a strong connection with City as his father, Alf-Inge Haaland, played three years for the club.
The Norwegian is just 20 years of age and has the potential to be a tremendous signing for whichever club he chooses and Haaland will be eager to complete his first big-money move and announce himself as the new superstar in world football.
