Barcelona handed major boost in Haaland pursuit over Premier League rivals

Barcelona’s pursuit of Erling Haaland has been a hotly debated topic over the past year. While some feel that the club lack the sporting prospect and economic freedom to pull off the signing of the Norwegian international, others feel that Barcelona provides the ideal opportunity for the youngster to establish himself as a generational talent.

The Catalans seem to be handed a boost in the pursuit of the striker after statements from Gianluca Di Marzio via Wettfreunde. The Italian journalist said that Haaland was not very attracted by the prospect of playing in England.

“He [Haaland] doesn’t like the Premier League too much, it’s not necessarily his dream. It’s not the perfect league at the moment.”

Manchester City are one club that have been linke to Haaland recently. They were also name-checked by Mino Raiola when speaking about the 21-year-old’s potential destinations.

Moreover, he added that the Borussia Dortmund forward was more inclined to compete in La Liga, handing more weight to the chances of Barcelona and Real Madrid.

“He prefers La Liga – he likes the league very much. So I think La Liga is the perfect environment for him to play in now. Or just the Bundesliga where he is currently playing.”

No team in the Bundesliga can realistically sign Haaland, though. Bayern Munich are very touch-and-go about their wage structure, and also have Robert Lewandowski in their ranks.

That said, it is quite clear the Norweigian striker thrives in Germany. He’s scored 13 goals in 11 games this season, and 53 goals in 54 appearances in the league since moving to Dortmund.

The Italian Journalist then stated the fact that only two clubs in Spain could realistically compete for the young star’s signature.

“Only Real & Barca can get Haaland”

Finally, he gave his thoughts on Raiola’s influence on the decision. When asked about what the super-agent eyes as the perfect move for his client, he said,

“I don’t know what Mino Raiola thinks about it. I think Raiola wants to get him away from Borussia Dortmund because it is important for him to find a new challenge there after 2 years. That’s why I think he will try to find the right solution for him.”

The fact that Haaland is drawn to the Spanish League comes as superb news to the Barcelona offices. Moreover, Real Madrid’s hot chase for Kylian Mbappe might just give the Catalans a slight edge over their arch-rivals.