A European giant reportedly ‘believes’ Erling Haaland will ‘force his exit’ from Manchester City, with two factors to determine his stance on a transfer.
Haaland has cemented himself as one of the world’s best strikers following his £51m move to Man City from Borussia Dortmund during the 2022 summer transfer window.
At times, he has been criticised for his poor general play, but he is a lethal goalscorer and has continued to shine in an underperforming team this season. He netted 31 goals in 44 appearances during the 2024/25 campaign to take his overall Man City tally to 121 in 142 games.
In his three seasons at Man City, Haaland has been heavily linked with a move elsewhere and it has been suggested that a move to La Liga was inevitable at some stage.
However, Haaland took a huge step towards playing the remainder of his career at Man City, signing a remarkable ten-year contract to commit his future to the Premier League club until 2034.
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Still, this has not warded off the Spanish media as Haaland remains linked with a switch to La Liga, with Barcelona currently said to be most interested in the prolific striker.
Barcelona’s current priority is to sign a winger as they need cover for Raphinha and Lamine Yamal in wide areas and are reportedly looking at Luis Diaz and Marcus Rashford, but they also could do with a striker.
Robert Lewandowski is nearing the end of his career and is expected to leave the La Liga giants when his contract expires in 2026.
Lewandowski will leave a huge hole in Barcelona’s attack, but they are already working on signing a striker and according to a report in Spain, Haaland is an option.
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The report claims Barcelona have ‘not forgotten’ about Haaland and they ‘believe’ he will ‘force his exit’ in 2026 if he ‘doesn’t feel comfortable in England or if City fails to regain the competitive level that led them to win the treble in 2023’.
Naturally, Haaland’s immense salary and release clause are a ‘problem’ for Barcelona given their widely-reported financial issues, but they ‘won’t hesitate’ to sign him if the opportunity arises.
Still, Haaland is not currently their leading target as he is deemed a ‘luxury Plan B’, with former Man City star Julian Alvarez ‘ahead’ in Barcelona’s thinking.
The Atletico Madrid star has shone in his debut season for the La Liga side and is ‘more appealing’ as he’s been deemed the ‘perfect fit’ for Hansi Flick’s side.
‘Deco and Laporta are already working with a clear roadmap. The next star striker is expected to arrive in 2026, and until then, Lewandowski will be the attacking key.
‘Meanwhile, Barça hasn’t lost sight of any of the biggest talents in world football. Whether it’s Julián Álvarez or Erling Haaland , the goal is clear: to sign a striker who will mark an era at the Camp Nou.’