Barcelona are keen on Erling Haaland. (Kate McShane/Getty Images)
Manchester City have not quite reached the same heights this season as in previous years, with Pep Guardiola continuing to oversee a period of transition at the Etihad.
Club legends such as Kevin De Bruyne and İlkay Gündoğan have already moved on, while several younger players have been brought in over the past two years with mixed results.
As a result, there are now very few members of the squad who could be considered truly untouchable.
Despite that, Barcelona are reportedly exploring a move for one of City’s most vital players — a forward Guardiola himself once described as “incredibly important” to the club’s project.
Barcelona Meet with City to Discuss Haaland Deal
Representatives connected to Barcelona presidential candidate Víctor Font have reportedly held talks with Manchester City officials regarding a potential future move for Erling Haaland.
According to reports from the Catalan outlet SPORT, members of Font’s proposed sporting structure met with City executives while in Madrid. Carles Planchart and Xavier Aguilar, who are expected to play key roles if Font wins the upcoming presidential election, are said to have met with Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano and sporting director Hugo Viana.
The discussions reportedly centred on the possibility of securing a future purchase option for Haaland, one of the most sought-after forwards in world football. The Norwegian striker remains under contract with City until June 2034, making any immediate transfer extremely complicated.
Barcelona are expected to face a major decision in attack this summer, with Robert Lewandowski’s contract expiring at the end of June and little expectation that it will be renewed. That situation has forced the club to begin considering long-term replacements for the veteran striker.
Font openly acknowledged the difficulty of signing Haaland in the near future but suggested that circumstances can change over time.
“Haaland is one of the best strikers in the world. It’s not possible to sign him in the short term because he extended his contract last year, but personally, I’m convinced these long-term deals are rarely honored, and that’s where we have to keep an eye on a player who loves Spain and who, when he came here, spoke about how amazed he was by Camp Nou,” Font said.
For now, Haaland remains a cornerstone of Manchester City’s attack, and any move away from the Etihad would be incredibly difficult to pull off. Still, Barcelona’s reported interest shows just how highly the striker is regarded across Europe.
Whether this pursuit becomes a genuine transfer attempt or simply part of the political theatre surrounding Barcelona’s presidential election remains to be seen. Only time will tell if the idea of Haaland at Camp Nou is realistic — or merely an electoral talking point.
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