Barcelona president Joan Laporta has long been a man of bold visions, and few are more ambitious than his fixation on prying Erling Haaland from Manchester City.
To Laporta, the 25-year-old Norwegian is not just a forward – he is the transformative figure who could restore Barcelona to the heights once scaled with Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho.
The club chief has privately marked the summer of 2026 as his window of opportunity, even as financial hurdles and Haaland’s ironclad contract loom large.
The obsession dates back to Laporta’s return in 2021, when Haaland was dazzling at Borussia Dortmund.
Barcelona’s strained finances blocked a move then, and City swooped in.
Since arriving in England in 2022, Haaland has torched records with 129 goals in 150 appearances, including 90 in the Premier League.
This season, he leads the scoring charts again with five strikes in four matches, his latest coming in a two-goal display against Manchester United.
In January, he signed the longest contract in Premier League history – keeping him at City until 2034 and earning 23.1 million euros ($27.3 million) annually without a release clause.
For Laporta, though, hope springs eternal.
City’s stuttering start in 2025 – six points adrift of Liverpool after four rounds – has fueled whispers that Haaland may one day grow restless, especially if Pep Guardiola departs when his deal expires in 2026.
Transfer chatter online has only intensified, with Laporta painted as the driving force behind any potential blockbuster.
A move would likely command north of 200 million euros, yet Barcelona’s improving revenues from sponsorships and the renovated Camp Nou may allow them to dream.
If Haaland is the dream, Robert Lewandowski remains the reality.
At 37, the Polish striker is still producing at an astonishing clip.
Since joining from Bayern Munich in 2022, he has scored 103 goals and tallied 20 assists in 150 appearances.
His contract expires in June 2026, and unless renewed, it will mark the end of a glittering Barcelona spell.
Injury setbacks have slowed him this season – he blames fatigue from preseason travel and even an uncomfortable bed in South Korea – but Lewandowski remains lethal.
On Sunday, he came off the bench to score twice in Barcelona’s 6-0 demolition of Valencia, a match that also saw Raphinha and Fermin Lopez bag braces.
It was the first time in the 21st century that two Barcelona substitutes both struck twice in the same La Liga game.
The rout pushed Barca to second in the table with 10 points, two shy of Real Madrid.
Even in cameo roles, Lewandowski’s class continues to shine, but his twilight years are undeniable.
He briefly retired from international duty in 2025 before reversing course, another sign that the finish line is approaching.
Inside Barcelona, not everyone shares Laporta’s Haaland fixation.
Hansi Flick and his staff are said to prefer a more attainable target: Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez.
The 25-year-old Argentine, who left Manchester City for Diego Simeone’s side in 2024, has blossomed into a versatile, relentless forward.
He scored 29 goals in his debut season, added one early this campaign, and has already been approached by Barca’s sporting director, Deco.
Alvarez’s adaptability – able to play anywhere across the front line – fits Flick’s fluid attacking schemes.
Deco sees him as a convincing alternative who could be secured without risking a financial implosion.
Still, the president’s Haaland dream threatens to clash with the pragmatic approach favored by his football department, raising the specter of a power struggle inside Camp Nou.
Beyond the striker search, Barcelona are piecing together a squad capable of sustained dominance.
Pedri and Gavi remain central, while Marc Bernal’s return from a yearlong ACL absence offered a bright moment in the Valencia rout, assisting Lewandowski on his first goal.
The Blaugrana open their Champions League campaign against Newcastle on Thursday, but looming larger is the long-term question: who will carry the scoring mantle after Lewandowski?
