Phil Foden, Erling Haaland. (REUTERS/Phil Noble)
Manchester City’s summer overhaul was one of the biggest in the Premier League.
Pep Guardiola brought in Rayan Cherki, Tijani Reijnders, Rayan Aït-Nouri, and two new goalkeepers in James Trafford and Gianluigi Donnarumma as part of a squad revamp designed to freshen up an aging side. At the same time, legends Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson, and Ilkay Gündogan all departed, marking the start of a new era.
So far, it’s unclear whether the rebuild has truly paid off. Reijnders has been a revelation, while others, such as Cherki and Trafford, have struggled to adapt. City have won two and lost two of their opening four Premier League games, leaving them eighth in the table.
One man who continues to deliver, however, is Erling Haaland. With five goals in four games, the Norwegian is already leading the Golden Boot race — and unsurprisingly, the world’s biggest clubs are keeping a very close eye.
Barcelona Confident of Landing Haaland
According to a report from El Nacional, Barcelona are preparing for life after Robert Lewandowski, whose contract expires at the end of the season. Club president Joan Laporta has made it clear who he wants as the Pole’s successor: Erling Haaland.
The Catalan giants have long tracked the 24-year-old striker, but their well-documented financial issues prevented them from competing when he left Borussia Dortmund for City in 2022. Despite that, Laporta has reportedly remained “obsessed” with the idea of bringing Haaland to Camp Nou and is optimistic that the deal could eventually happen.
The belief in Barcelona is that if City’s inconsistent form continues, Haaland could grow frustrated and push for a transfer, making the Blaugrana his next destination.
Of course, Pep Guardiola may have something to say about that. After Haaland netted a hat-trick in City’s 3-0 victory over Manchester United, Guardiola hailed him as a “special player” and pointed to his long-term commitment.
“Erling never disappoints us since he arrived,” Guardiola said. “Erling has the commitment, that is why he signed a contract for many years.”
Whether Barca’s optimism is well-founded or misplaced remains to be seen — but there’s little doubt that Laporta will do everything in his power to make his obsession a reality.
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