Man City put on alert as Barcelona chief makes ambitious Erling Haaland transfer claim

Barcelona board member Joan Soler has claimed that the club is in a financial position to pull off deals for high-profile players like Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.

Soler has been a long-time board member under Laporta, who is seeking to win reelection as Barcelona president.

Laporta has had to contend with the club's financial struggles during his second stint as president, leading to issues over the registration of new players.

The 63-year-old also oversaw Lionel Messi's unpopular exit in 2021 and the delays in reopening the renovated Camp Nou.

However, his second stint also coincided with success on the pitch, including a return of three trophies in the 2024-25 campaign.

Barcelona "ready" for Haaland swoop

Laporta is the favourite to win next month's presidential election, although he has been accused by his rivals of making the club's financial situation seem more positive than it may be.

However, Soler has leapt to Laporta's defence, insisting the club are in a position to sign top stars such as Man City's Haaland.

"Yes, we could sign players like Julian Alvarez or Erling Haaland," Soler told radio station Cadena SER.

"These transfers will pay for themselves within five years, and Barcelona's finances are ready for it."

"At the end of the day, Barca must be very careful about the commitments it makes regarding its wage structure.

"We have set ourselves a limit, and we will not exceed it. We must sign players at market prices while keeping an eye on our wage structure."

Is a Haaland to Barcelona transfer realistic?

Haaland is currently enjoying another productive season with Pep Guardiola's side, having scored 22 goals in 27 Premier League appearances.

The Norway international is under contract until the summer of 2034 after signing a new long-term deal in January 2025.

As a result, it will surely require a world-record fee for Man City to even consider parting ways with their star striker.

With that in mind, it is difficult to see a scenario in which Barcelona are able to pull off a major deal for Haaland in the near future, unless the player makes it clear he wants the move.

Reports in Spain suggest that Haaland's Man City teammate Omar Marmoush could be a more viable option for the Catalan giants.

However, the Blaugrana are said to view Marmoush as an alternative option to Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez in their search for a possible Robert Lewandowski replacement.