Barcelona face strong competition from Man City for €150 million-rated striker

Borussia Dortmund hitman Erling Haaland is set to spark a major transfer war next summer.

The 21-year-old, widely regarded as one of the most lethal strikers in the game currently, is on the wishlist of almost every elite club heading into the new year. With a release clause of €75 million believed to kick in next year, teams are queuing up to capture his signing.

However, the actual cost of signing the Norwegian is expected to be much higher, with a massive contract likely to be involved, along with a hefty commission for his agent, Mino Raiola.

In spite of the steep costs that could exceed the €150 million mark, Barcelona are very much in the hunt for Haaland’s capture. The striker has been at the top of president Joan Laporta’s wishlist ever since he was re-elected earlier this year and he is prepared to go all-out for the Dortmund superstar.

Groundwork is already being laid, with Laporta having met with Mino Raiola on two separate occasions this year to discuss a move. However, according to SPORT, the biggest threat to Barça’s ambitions of landing the 21-year-old will come from Manchester City.

The Premier League champions have been on the lookout for a new centre-forward since last summer, after having lost their all-time leading goalscorer, Sergio Aguero, on a free transfer. Pep Guardiola’s side tried hard to sign Harry Kane but failed in their attempts.

Now, though, the focus has shifted to Haaland, with the Citizens prepared to go all-out for the Borussia Dortmund hitman, according to the report.

While there are believed to be some concerns within the camp regarding the money that could be involved in the deal, they have the financial muscle needed to pull off the transfer. It is further claimed that Man City have already begun contacts to try and engineer a deal.

Dortmund, for their part, remain hopeful of convincing Haaland to stay at the club and have begun talks to try and extend his contract at the club. However, that is unlikely to lead to anything, with the 21-year-old expected to be on the move come summer.

While the names of Manchester United, Chelsea, Real Madrid have all been mentioned in the past, the report states that it is likely to be Barcelona and Manchester City who will be the main competitors for the transfer of the Norwegian marksman. Only time will tell who comes out on top in the race for the ex-RB Salzburg ace’s signing.