Why Barca have to find a way to sign Haaland to replace Lewandowski

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The Man City striker is the best man for the job

The rumour mill seems to have gone into overdrive during the past few days regarding who Barcelona might like to sign to replace Robert Lewandowski.

All of the talk has come about thanks to Deco’s wide-ranging interview with Mundo Deportivo where, to his credit, he didn’t appear to shy away from answering any questions as best he could.

Clearly, the striker situation isn’t one that necessarily needs addressing in the immediate future either, so even if one took the view that the Portuguese was being a little evasive when answering questions on the possibility of Erling Haaland or Viktor Gyokeres playing for the club in future, his current explanation was understandable.

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Were it in the club’s minds that the next centre-forward to play for the club were either Haaland or Gyokeres, there are a few factors which make a move for Haaland irresistible.

Although both score goals at an alarming rate and there’s a cogent argument that Gyokeres is a better all-round player, Haaland is more of a ‘killer’ in the box and the way Barca have played over the last few seasons is tailored more to the Norwegian’s style.

The Swede is 26 now and would be 28 at the time that the Catalans would ideally want to sign him but, as yet, and without wishing to sound disrespectful to him, he hasn’t done the business in a top league.

That’s not to say he couldn’t of course, but he just hasn’t been put to the test against the very best on a regular enough basis.

Haaland continues to run riot and would absolutely do so in the Spanish top-flight against defences that are often bamboozled by a labouring (albeit excellent) Lewandowski.

Furthermore, his contract doesn’t run out until 2028 so he could even cost potentially more than Haaland whose own contract is up a year earlier. Summer 2026 would therefore be the last opportunity for Man City to command a reasonable - but not excessive - fee.

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Haaland would only be 26 by then which is clearly advantageous, and one cannot downplay the influence that Pep Guardiola is likely to have on his striker’s career preference either.

If Pep signs a one-year extension with City to take him up to summer 2026, by then we’re all likely to know, or have some idea of, the punishment that the serial Premier League winners will have to stomach for alleged breaches of FFP rules.

Arguably, it would be the opportune time for Haaland to move on at that point too and Guardiola will almost certainly have been singing Barca’s praises. Lewandowski too.

The chance to become a figurehead in Spanish football and up against a Real Madrid side that’s likely to still have Mbappe et al in situ - meaning all eyeballs would be back on La Liga for a renewed striker battle at the top two club sides in world football - is surely too intoxicating a propostion for Haaland to turn down.

Source: barcablaugranes.com