Barcelona target ‘dreams of playing in La Liga’, but Real Madrid may have upper hand | OneFootball

FC Barcelona have had their sights set on Erling Haaland for a long time now, with Joan Laporta viewing him as the ‘dream target’ for the near future.

The prolific Norwegian striker, currently plying his trade at Manchester City, has long been on the Blaugrana’s agenda. In fact, the Catalans were in the running to sign him in 2022 before his transfer to England.

And, heading into 2025, reports suggested that Barça are prepared to go all out for the 24-year-old, with Laporta keen on a statement signing.

Haaland dreams of La Liga, but Real Madrid could be better positioned

However, Sky Germany reports that Laporta is not actively pursuing this transfer at present, knowing that his signing in the summer of 2025 would be unrealistic.

As per the report, the 24-year-old harbours ambitions of playing in La Liga. He has been vacationing in Marbella with his family since childhood, is a fan of the country, and dreams of playing in the Spanish top flight.

But a move to Spain seems premature at this stage, with the idea being that such a transfer might be more likely in two or three years.

Haaland dreams of La Liga. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

However, even then, as per the report, Real Madrid might be better positioned than Barcelona to secure his signature in the future.

Barcelona’s persistent financial challenges present a significant obstacle to any potential deal for Haaland.

Moreover, the club already has star striker Robert Lewandowski in their ranks, whose contract is set to automatically extend until 2026 if he plays in 50% of this season’s matches.

In the current season, Haaland has netted 11 goals in 10 appearances for Manchester City across all competitions. He has a contract with the Premier League champions until 2027 and is not pushing for an exit at this point.

But when he considers leaving the Etihad, La Liga would likely be the destination and it appears that Real Madrid may have the edge over Barcelona when that time comes.