Man United to enter race for Barcelona’s priority signing in the summer
Manchester United will reportedly compete with FC Barcelona for the signature of Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland, as per SPORT.
The news comes as Red Devils will enter the market in the summer of 2022 for a new attacker, as Uruguayan international Edinson Cavani will depart the club following the completion of his contract.
Manchester United have already started a ‘cleaning operation’ with Cavani, the first player to leave the Premier League giants. The club are also reportedly closing in on Mauricio Pochettino as the new manager, which could invariably play a role in landing 21-year-old Haaland.
Man United are in search of a young forward to play in the number nine position, and Haaland fits the bill. Furthermore, the English club’s experience in negotiating with Borussia Dortmund for Jadon Sancho could play a decisive role in discussions for the Norwegian star.
Barcelona, however, won’t go without a fight as they are strongly committed to bringing Haaland to Camp Nou.
Sporting director Mateu Alemany also dropped a major hint when asked about the striker, saying, “I can’t speak on names. The only thing I can say is that FC Barcelona continues to be one of the best clubs in the world and we always aim to have the most competitive squad. We’re working on that.”
Head coach Xavi has personally relayed his desire for Haaland to club president Joan Laporta. He has reportedly claimed that the Dortmund man could make an impact that is similar to Brazilian legend and club icon Ronaldinho.
The Blaugrana will need to ease their wage bill to have a realistic shot at signing Erling Haaland, and with several summer departures seemingly imminent, the La Liga giants’ chances of pulling off the landmark transfer have gone up significantly.
Earlier last year, Erling Haaland admitted that he had faced pressure to announce his decision on his future at Dortmund, given his contract entered its final two years. However, multiple sources state that the young striker will only make a decision in the summer following the end of the current 2021-22 campaign.
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