Barcelona would be 'ready' to sign Erling Haaland from Manchester City this summer, a board member has claimed. Haaland, 25, has long been touted as Barca president Joan Laporta's dream signing, despite the striker penning a new contract with City last year which keeps him at the Etihad until 2034.
Laporta will go up for re-election next month and is the favourite to win. Since Laporta was elected for second spell in 2021, Barcelona have been through the mill financially, symbolised by the departure of Lionel Messi and their delay in returning Camp Nou which has quite literally been flooded with problems.
Rival candidates have accused Laporta of embellishing Barca's financial situation, with the club in more than £1billion worth of debt, owing several teams outstanding transfer fees and still rebuilding their iconic stadium. But Joan Soler, a long-time member of the board under Laporta, has dismissed those claims, insisting that the La Liga champions are capable of signing the likes of Haaland.
Speaking to radio station Cadena SER ahead of the elections on March 15, Soler declared: "Yes, we could sign players like Julian Alvarez or Erling Haaland. These transfers will pay for themselves within five years, and Barcelona's finances are ready for it."
Soler added "At the end of the day, Barca must be very careful about the commitments it makes regarding its wage structure. We have set ourselves a limit, and we will not exceed it. We must sign players at market prices while keeping an eye on our wage structure."
Barca are exploring the striker market ahead of Robert Lewandowski's contract expiring in June. Alvarez is considered alternative to Haaland, although Atletico Madrid have reportedly quoted Barcelona an eye-watering £174.5m price tag.
It's been claimed by Sport that Haaland's City team-mate, Omar Marmoush, has been identified as a more affordable target. The Egyptian has been in and out of Pep Guardiola's side this season, having arrived last January.