Barcelona transfer news: Erling Haaland deal ‘ready’ with ‘preferential purchase option’ negotiated with Man City

Barcelona presidential candidate Victor Font has reportedly held talks with Manchester City chiefs over an audacious move to sign striker Erling Haaland.

The prolific Norwegian is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the world, scoring 153 goals in 186 appearances across all competitions since joining Man City in 2022.

Haaland, a Champions League and two-time Premier League winner with the Citizens, is an integral first-team player for Pep Guardiola’s side and he committed his long-term future to the club last year by signing a contract until June 2034.

However, that has not stopped the rumour mill linking City’s No.9 with a big-money exit, with Barcelona believed to be one European giant keen to secure his services.

Haaland played for Man City in Wednesday’s 3-0 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu and images have since emerges of Barca presidential candidate Font and his management team leaving the Citizens’ training hotel in the Spanish capital.

Barca, Man City chiefs ‘hold meeting’ over proposed Haaland deal

According to Spanish news outlet Sport, Carles Planchart and Xavier Aguilar, members of Font's team, held meetings inside the Four Seasons hotel with Man City’s CEO Ferran Soriano and sporting director Hugo Viana.

The report adds that the two parties discussed a proposed deal for Haaland and a clause which would give the Catalan giants a preferential buy option for the City striker, should Font win the club’s presidential election on Sunday.

Any proposed summer deal would presumably be difficult, given Barcelona’s financial situation and struggles with balancing their books in recent years, which has led to them missing out on some key targets.

However, Joan Soler – a board member of Font’s presidential rival Joan Laporta – has claimed that Barcelona are financially ‘ready’ to sign high-profile targets including Haaland and Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez.

‘Barcelona's finances are ready for Haaland, Alvarez moves’

"Yes, we could sign players like Julian Alvarez or Erling Haaland. Joan Soler declared on Spanish radio station Cadena SER. “These transfers will pay for themselves within five years, and Barcelona's finances are ready for it."

Soler added: "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."

The addition of a new centre-forward may depend on the future of 37-year-old Robert Lewandowski, who is out of contract in the summer but could be offered a new deal, according to Laporta.

"He's a very talented player and a prolific goalscorer," Laporta told reporters. "As a token of my appreciation, I'd offer him another year on his contract.

"He came at a very difficult time, and despite his track record at Bayern [Munich], he pushed hard to come to Barca. He gave up a lot. We'll see what he wants to do, but I'd like him to stay another year if he wants to."

Barcelona will boost their financial position if they manage to fend of competition from Real Madrid to win the La Liga title as well as triumph in this season’s Champions League – rescuing a 1-1 first-leg draw with Newcastle in the last 16 on Tuesday.