March 06, (THEWILL) – Barcelona president Joan Laporta has denied there have been any talks about signing Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland.
Haaland is one of the most sought-after players in the world, thanks to his outstanding performances in the Bundesliga and Champions League, where he has scored 80 goals in 79 appearances since joining BVB in January 2020.
Barça are still looking for a new striker after recently signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but Laporta has denied that any formal conversations with Haaland have taken place at this time.
“I deny that there has been any kind of negotiation with Haaland,” Laporta said.
Xavi Hernandez, the Blaugrana’s manager, is said to have met with Haaland in Germany to discuss a potential transfer, although Laporta has denied any such meeting.
Xavi said: “That is none of my business. It is a conversation between athletes without any negotiation.”
When asked about the rumoured meeting, Xavi admitted that all he cares about is Barcelona’s present and future: “I can’t disclose details, but I can only say that we are working for the present the future of the club. I can’t say any more, when I can we will be the first to say it.
“But in this situation, I have nothing to say and nothing to announce, only that we are working for the good of the club, for the future and the present.”
However, Barcelona is not the only team interested in Haaland. Bayern Munich is examining the Norwegian as a possible replacement to Robert Lewandowski, despite PSG, Real Madrid, Chelsea, and Manchester City having all expressed interest in recent months.
While Dortmund is still desperate to keep Haaland, the 21-year-old has a £70 million release clause that will be activated during the summer transfer window later this year.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
