Erling Haaland reportedly does not want Barcelona star Robert Lewandowski to stay at the club if he moves to the Catalan side in the future. The star striker is reportedly a dream signing for President Joan Laporta ahead of the reopening of the Spotify Camp Nou.
The Norwegian is widely considered among the best players in the world right now, following his success under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. Following his arrival from Borussia Dortmund in 2022, Haaland won the treble with City in the 2022-23 season, winning the UEFA Champions League, the Premier League and the FA Cup.
Erling Haaland was also the highest goalscorer in the Premier League for two consecutive seasons (36 and 27 goals), alongside winning the European Golden Boot in 2022-23. In 108 appearances for Manchester City so far, Erling Haaland has recorded 101 goals and 14 assists.
As per Catalan publication El Nacional, Erling Haaland will be open to joining Barcelona only if Robert Lewandowski is no longer at the club. The Norwegian superstar does not want to compete with another player for minutes or remain a substitute.
If Joan Laporta can find a solution to Haaland’s demands, the blockbuster transfer could be a reality.
However, Robert Lewandowski is currently the undisputed starting striker at the club. The Polish superstar has been in sensational form this season, recording 12 goals and two assists in 11 appearances for Barcelona across competitions.
However, at 36, the forward is in the twilight of his career. While Haaland could be a perfect successor to Lewandowski at Barca, his arrival could question the Polish star’s role at the club. It is unclear whether the legendary striker would be willing to take up a secondary role to pave the way for Haaland.
“The guy is a cyborg” – When Pedri named Erling Haaland as his dream signing for Barcelona
In an interview on influencer Ibai Llanos’ Twitch channel in January 2024, Barcelona midfielder Pedri was asked to name one current player he would like to sign for the club. The Spaniard said (via GOAL):
“I would sign [Lionel] Messi if he were 19 or 22 years old, but currently, I would sign Haaland. He is a cyborg and scores a lot of goals. Lewandowski is not going to last until he is 60.”
Erling Haaland’s potential transfer to Barca would be a massive one in football, especially with Kylian Mbappe signing for Real Madrid this summer. Barcelona bringing in Haaland could partially recreate the Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi rivalry in LaLiga.
Between 2009 and 2018, fans enjoyed watching Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo clash as part of two rival clubs at least twice each season. Both legends have moved outside Europe since then but a possible Haaland-Mbappe rivalry would be an exciting prospect for fans.
Edited by Ritwik Kumar
