Barcelona eye Serie A goalscorer as ‘Plan B’ in case Haaland can’t be signed

Barcelona have seemingly identified Borussia Dortmund superstar Erling Haaland as a top target for the summer of next year, with Joan Laporta intent on landing the striker.

The 21-year-old is on the transfer wishlist of almost every big club in Europe, including Barça, as Laporta targets a marquee addition to the roster for 2022.

But signing the Norwegian international may not be easy for the Catalan giants considering the number of clubs vying for his transfer, along with the massive financial commitment that the transfer would require.

As a result, the Blaugrana are keeping their options open, with Gerard Romero claiming on his Twitch channel that Dusan Vlahovic has been identified as a potential Plan B in case the pursuit of Haaland does not bear fruit.

Vlahovic has enjoyed a steep rise in stardom over the past year and a half. The 21-year-old had a prolific 2020/21 season with Fiorentina, as he plundered 21 goals in 40 games in all competitions. And, he looks set to better that tally this term, having already managed 17 goals in just 18 matches.

The ex-Partizan Belgrade hitman’s goalscoring prowess has garnered attention from several teams, including the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham, among others. Now, Barça too have joined the hunt for the Serbian international should they miss out on the signing of Haaland in the summer of 2022.

Goals have been a major issue for Barcelona this season. The Blaugrana scored just two goals in their six UEFA Champions League group stage games this term while their tally of 25 from 16 La Liga encounters is the third-lowest among clubs in the top eight.

Memphis Depay started out well but his form has tailed off recently while Ansu Fati has been out injured quite a fair bit. Luuk de Jong has proven to be a huge dud at Camp Nou, whereas Sergio Aguero is set for early retirement after being diagnosed with a heart problem.

So, the need for a top-quality marksman is apparent. Vlahovic can offer a long-term solution to the problem for Barcelona. Whether the club have the financial muscle to pull off a deal remains the big question though.