Erling Haaland's camp responds to Man City exit and Barcelona rumours

Erling Haaland's entourage are refusing to speculate about a potential Manchester City exit despite renewed suggestions that the Norwegian striker could join Barcelona if the Premier League champions are relegated over their financial breaches.

The 26-year-old's future has attracted fresh attention following comments from Manchester United legend Paul Scholes, who believes Haaland would favour a move to the Catalan giants over Real Madrid in the event of a severe punishment for City.

However, Spanish newspaper AS reports that those close to Haaland are not currently considering hypothetical transfer scenarios while the outcome of City's appeal remains uncertain.

The report provides a more cautious perspective on a situation that has generated considerable speculation, particularly with the club still awaiting a definitive resolution to its long-running financial case.

Haaland remains under contract at the Etihad Stadium until June 2034, and there is no indication that he has decided to pursue a departure or instructed his representatives to explore a move to Spain.

Erling Haaland's entourage adopts cautious stance amid Barcelona speculation

According to AS, which published its report on Thursday, November 12, Haaland's camp are not concerned by the growing speculation surrounding his future.

The Spanish publication claims to have contacted sources close to the Manchester City forward, who are unwilling to discuss potential departures without knowing whether the club will receive a sporting sanction or when any punishment might take effect.

City were found guilty of serious financial rule breaches by an independent commission in September, but they have appealed against those findings and continue to deny wrongdoing.

Consequently, the possibility of relegation remains hypothetical, and no definitive punishment has been announced.

The uncertainty has nevertheless prompted fresh discussion about how City might retain their most valuable players if they were removed from the Premier League or deprived of Champions League football.

Haaland would inevitably attract interest from Europe's biggest clubs in such circumstances, with Barcelona and Real Madrid regularly mentioned as possible destinations.

However, AS provides no indication that negotiations have begun with either Spanish club.

The report instead suggests that Haaland's entourage intend to assess the situation once there is greater clarity over City's disciplinary proceedings.

That position is significant because it differs from the confidence expressed by Scholes, whose prediction about a Barcelona transfer has generated attention in both England and Spain.

Paul Scholes predicts Barcelona move if Manchester City are relegated

Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Scholes was asked where he believed Haaland would play if Manchester City were relegated.

The former United midfielder immediately identified Barcelona, despite acknowledging that the Norwegian also appeared ideally suited to their great rivals.

"Barcelona. He looks like a Real Madrid player, I can picture him perfectly in a Madrid shirt, but he'll go to Barcelona," Scholes predicted.

His comments were an assessment of a possible future scenario rather than information about Haaland's intentions or any negotiations involving the Spanish champions.

Former United midfielder Nicky Butt also discussed the situation, suggesting that Haaland's father, Alf-Inge, might already be considering his son's longer-term options.

Neither former player presented evidence of an agreement or an active transfer process.

Barcelona have frequently been linked with Haaland, while previous reports suggested that the striker could favour the Catalan club over Arsenal if City's circumstances forced him to reconsider his future.

His contractual situation would present an obvious obstacle to any potential move.

Haaland signed a 10-year extension in January 2025, committing himself to City until 2034. There is no publicly confirmed relegation release clause that would automatically allow him to leave.

Reports of a possible departure have continued despite the agreement, including speculation linking the Norway international with Real Madrid during the summer.

City publicly rejected suggestions concerning a purported release clause when the striker was discussed during the Spanish club's presidential election campaign in June.

For now, the greatest uncertainty concerns the disciplinary proceedings themselves.

The independent commission concluded in September that City had committed serious breaches of financial regulations covering the period from 2009-10 to 2017-18, alongside breaches of their obligations to cooperate with the Premier League's investigation.

City lodged an appeal on October 1, insisting that the commission's findings contained significant errors of law, principle and fact.

Any sporting punishment would be determined separately, and there has been no confirmation that relegation will be imposed.

The new information from Haaland's entourage therefore offers no encouragement to suggestions that a move to Barcelona is being actively prepared.

With the Norwegian still committed to a contract running until 2034, his immediate future remains tied to Manchester City while the club awaits further developments in its legal battle with the Premier League.