Joan Laporta has promised Xavi Hernández that next season he will have a ‘top’ forward in the squad. The absolute priority continues to be the Norwegian Erling Haaland, although the president’s latest statements could leave a shadow of doubt about the viability of the operation.
To this day, Haaland is still considered a strategic signing to champion the project for the next decade, the piece of goldsmithing that is missing to build the building where Xavi’s Barça will be sustained. But the problem with the Dortmund striker is that he has other ‘girlfriends’ pressing very hard, especially Manchester City. In fact, from the Blaugrana club they openly admit that the ‘citizens’ have been ahead of the rest and that, today, they start with a slight advantage. However, Laporta has not yet said the last wordApart from his very good relationship with his agent, Mino Raiola, he has other intangibles, such as the city itself – there is no point of comparison between living in Barcelona or Manchester – or that Barcelona is a generator of Ballon d’Ors, something that City cannot say the same, as they have not yet had a Ballon d’Or in their ranks.
But also Laporta has an ace up his sleeve in the event that Haaland ends up opting for City. And it is that, As AS has learned, plan B if the Norwegian does not come has a ‘pharaonic’ first and last name: Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian striker of Liverpool would be the priority alternative of FC Barcelona. Both Xavi and the technical secretariat consider the Liverpool attacker to be the ideal player to complete the new attack in the event that Haaland does not arrive. While it is true that he is not strictly a 9, it is also true that guarantees a minimum of 30 goals per season, in addition to possessing enormous versatility and versatility in attackby developing in various positions on the field, starting from the right wing.
Barcelona would be willing to make a very strong bet on Salah. And it is that at 29 years old, he still has three or four years of high-level football. The striker, who since December has been dragging Liverpool about his renewal, ends his contract on June 30, 2023, so Barcelona could ‘fish’ in a troubled river. The amounts that are considered would be much lower than those of Haaland: between 60 and 70 million to Liverpool, taking into account that next year it could be free, and another 100 in chips for the next four seasons.
positive contacts
Salah’s presence in the attack would flag a dreamy trident with Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati as great driving forces, and with Aubameyang, Adama Traoré, Abde and Jutglà as luxury accessories. The future of Dembélé, Memphis, Braithwaite and Luuk also remains to be seen. In any case, the first three have all the numbers to leave the club, while the Dutch striker from Sevilla could have the option to extend his loan for another year.
As this newspaper has learned, Barcelona has already received the first positive ‘inputs’ from the player’s entourage, who would welcome a change of scenery -He has been at Liverpool for five seasons-, and even more so entering Xavi Hernández’s project as the new franchise player. It must be remembered that the same coach confirmed that they had not yet received any refusal among the players surveyed. In any case, the club has asked the ‘red’ star for a little more time, although he is aware that it cannot take much longer than April.
In fact, the signing of the Egyptian would not definitively close the doors to the Norwegian: Raiola is in favor of short contracts, at most three or four seasons, so Barcelona could address his hiring in the future, when Salah and Aubameyang are in the final stretch of his career.
Plan C… y D
There is also a plan C, if the other two fail, which Xavi likes a lot: the Polish striker for Bayern Munich, Robert Lewandowski. It is a true ‘predator’ in the area, although it is considered that its journey would be very short-term, at most two years, since in August it will be 34 years old. In any case, This operation is assumed in the club as very complicated, especially since there is the certainty that PSG would also be behind the international.
AND The last option that is liked in the technical secretariat, but further away than the rest, is Chelsea’s Belgian attacker, Romelu Lukaku (28 years old). He is valued as an old-fashioned 9, a pure-blooded killer, although in his case, everything would depend on how the situation of the English club ends up being managed in the medium term. The international has a contract until 2026 and they would only open the doors to him if a completely unsustainable situation ends up taking place.
Be that as it may, right now in the technical secretariat only four candidates are being considered to reinforce the attack and all of them are of a ‘top’ level: Haaland, Salah, Lewandowski or Lukaku. The rest of the names that have come out lately, either have been discarded, or are not directly contemplated or are considered not to reach the level of excellence that is required at FC Barcelona.