Why Erling Haaland would be a smashing signing for Barcelona
According to Le10 Sport (h/t The Sun), Mathias Pogba was of the opinion that Erling Haaland could make a move to Barcelona if Joan Laporta was elected as president. Laporta has close relations with Haaland’s agent Mino Raiola and this was one of the possible reasons for such claims.
Profile
The 20-year-old Norwegian forward started his youth career at Bryne in 2006 and over the next decade, progressed through their youth setup.
In 2015, he was promoted to the first-team and went on to make 16 appearances for them. After two and a half seasons, he signed for Molde FK. He had decent numbers for Molde in 50 games, with 20 goals and 6 assists.
Red Bull Salzburg signed him in 2019 and that was where his path to stardom started. In 2019, Haaland broke onto the scene with a Champions League hat-trick against KRC Genk. Despite playing just 27 games for the side, Haaland scored 29 goals and 7 assists (h/t Transfermarkt).
In January this year, he joined Borussia Dortmund. He has continued on his merry goalscoring ways, with 33 goals in 32 games for them. Haaland was a regular part of the Norway youth sides and has 7 senior appearances to date, with 6 goals to his name.
Haaland can fill the void left by Luis Suarez at Barcelona
For six seasons, Luis Suarez was Barcelona’s go-to man alongside Lionel Messi. The Uruguayan wreaked havoc in Spain and Europe during that time and was one of Europe’s most elite strikers. Yet as he was shipped off to Atletico Madrid in the summer, Barcelona did not feel the need to go for replacements.
While they aren’t exactly doing bad with goals coming in from the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Messi, Martin Braithwaite and so on, they do need someone who can push for those 25+ goals that Suarez usually provided in a season.
In Erling Haaland, they would have exactly that. The Dortmund ace has taken Europe by storm since his heroics for RedBull Salzburg last season. He has continued on his scoring spree for Dortmund and attracted the attention of elite clubs such as Real Madrid.
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Verdict
It is only natural that Barcelona move for the best players in Europe and with only Martin Braithwaite as an out and out number nine, signing Haaland looks necessary more than anything.
The Norwegian is a serial goal-getter and can ease some of the burden off Messi who has often been left to do the job for Barca. Whether or not Laporta get elected next year, Barcelona must try to sign Haaland either way.
