Manchester City talisman Erling Haaland and former teammate Julian Alvarez are reportedly among the options Barcelona are weighing up as they search for a long-term successor to Robert Lewandowski.
Erling Haaland is of interest to Barcelona, who signed Rodri from Manchester City this summer.
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Barcelona are in the market for a new centre-forward following the departure of Lewandowski, with the Polish icon having left the Spotify Camp Nou at the end of his contract to join Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire.
The reigning LaLiga champions have been linked with a host of elite No. 9s as they look to fill the void - and two names with strong Manchester City connections feature prominently in their thinking.
There has been no shortage of business between the two sides in recent years, most notably with this summer’s deal for Ballon d’Or winner Rodri. Eric Garcia, Ferran Torres and Joao Cancelo have also moved in the same direction since the start of this decade, as well as the likes of Ilkay Gundogan and Sergio Aguero on free transfers.
The latest speculation centres on Barcelona’s monitoring of Harry Kane’s contract situation at Bayern Munich, but there are also two names on that reported shortlist that will be of more interest to Manchester City supporters.
Barcelona Monitoring Kane With Haaland an Alternative
According to talkSPORT, Barcelona view Kane and Manchester City's Erling Haaland as alternative to their top target Julian Alvarez. The report states that the Catalan giants are keeping tabs on Kane’s Bayern Munich talks, but that moves for Haaland and Alvarez both remain firmly on the table as they plot a marquee addition to their frontline.
It is far from the first time Barcelona have been credited with an interest in Haaland, whose exploits since arriving in England have made him one of the most coveted footballers on the planet.
For a club seeking a long-term Lewandowski replacement, the Norwegian represents the dream option - albeit one that would be extraordinarily difficult to prise away from the Etihad Stadium.
What it Means for Man City
As far as we can see, Manchester City supporters have little cause for immediate concern. Haaland penned a lucrative long-term contract that runs until 2034, tying him to the club for years to come, and Manchester City would have no interest whatsoever in sanctioning the sale of a player who remains the focal point of Enzo Maresca’s side and one of the most prolific goalscorers the Premier League has ever seen.
There is currently nothing to indicate that Haaland would be open to leaving the club. The Alvarez element adds an interesting dimension, too. The Argentine left Manchester City for Atletico Madrid in 2024 in search of regular starts and has thrived in the Spanish capital - yet Atletico have been vocal in their unwillingness to sell to a domestic rival.
Another former City striker, Gabriel Jesus, signed for Barcelona from Arsenal late on in the last transfer window. Haaland's future is likely to continue to invite transfer speculation for years to come, but the striker remains a dream target for other clubs rather than someone seriously expected to depart the Etihad Stadium any time soon.
With four goals in the first four Premier League games of the season, plus two in the UEFA Champions League, his importance to Maresca's cannot be overstated.