Rumors about Erling Haaland's move to Barcelona under discussion

Former Real Madrid and Manchester City winger Steve McManaman addressed rumors regarding a potential transfer of Erling Haaland to the Catalan club in an exclusive interview with GOAL. Recent changes in Barcelona's attacking line and the future of the Norwegian striker have sparked intense debate in the football community. According to media reports, this transfer topic has become legendary for many. This is reported by Goal.com reports .

It is known that after winning another domestic title in the 2025–2026 season, Barcelona parted ways with two experienced forwards. Specifically, the prolific Polish striker Robert Lewandowski left Catalonia as a free agent and is continuing his career in the US MLS league. Also, Ferran Torres, a World Cup winner with the Spanish national team, moved to Paris Saint-Germain for 50 million euros.

The club's management, thinking about the future, signed talented young Egyptian footballer Hamza Abdelkarim in February of this year. However, at just 18 years old, this striker does not yet have enough experience in high-level matches. For this reason, the team's limited options in the central attacking line have not gone unnoticed by experts.

Haaland's transfer and financial capabilities

In recent months, there has also been much talk about interest in Argentine striker Julian Alvarez, who is looking to play for Atletico Madrid. It is not excluded that the 26-year-old footballer will eventually join Camp Nou. Nevertheless, the name of another super-striker linked to Manchester City remains on the scouts' radar.

Erling Haaland, who has managed to score 162 goals in 200 appearances for Manchester City, has a massive contract with the English club running until 2034. Although his current deal is long-term, speculation about the player's future in the English press has not ceased. In particular, the player's father, Alf-Inge Haaland, hinting that the option of playing in Spain is attractive, has further fueled transfer rumors.

Steve McManaman's thoughts

When asked if Barcelona is making a long-term plan to acquire Haaland in the coming years, Steve McManaman noted that everyone has a myth in their mind that the Norwegian striker wants to continue his career in Spain. However, the expert expressed doubt that the Catalan club would have the financial capacity for a transfer of this magnitude.

In an interview with GOAL, McManaman stated: «Maybe they are following a long-term plan, I don't know. Everyone has this myth that Erling wants to play in Spain. I think whether Barcelona can afford to buy Erling or not is another matter. Erling feels very happy at City and signed a huge contract last year». Nevertheless, the expert acknowledged that while the Blaugrana had problems in the attacking line last season, the team still managed to win the championship.