Five reasons why Erling Haaland might join FC Barcelona in the summer

The Norwegian could be the dream striker the Catalans have been looking for.

It's safe to say that Erling Haaland has caught the eyes of several top European clubs. His goalscoring ability and consistent performances are there for everyone to see. The Norwegian could easily be one of the best football players of the next generation, alongside Kylian Mbappe, Jadon Sancho and others.

Expectedly, elite European clubs will be vying for Haaland’s signature, who is being linked with a move away from Borussia Dortmund. FC Barcelona has emerged as the favorites to land him and here are five reasons suggesting why he might be joining the Blaugrana.

5. Potential Lionel Messi exit

The talk of Lionel Messi leaving FC Barcelona at the start of the 2020/21 season was on everyone’s lips. The Argentine publicly admitted to being close to leaving, but eventually stayed for another year. However, he is most likely to leave at the end of the ongoing season wtih Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain being his probable destination.

Due to the debt-ridden financial state of the club, they must relieve some of the wage bill. In a situation Lionel Messi leaves Barca, the club must look towards signing a top-class talent, and Erling Haaland fits the bill.

4. Replacement for Luis Suarez

It came as a shock for many FC Barcelona fans and neutrals alike, when Luis Suarez was allowed to join Atletico Madrid on a free transfer. The move defied logic, to allow a striker of his calibre join a direct-rival in the La Liga. Since his move, the Uruguayan has scored 16 goals in 21 league appearances for his new club.

FC Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman recently admitted that his attacking department needs more firepower. The squad lacks a recognized goalscorer, a role Ousmane Dembele or Antoine Griezmann are unfit to play - which makes Erling Haaland the ideal replacement for Suarez.

3. Squad rebuild

Like every elite club which has dominated their respective competitions, FC Barcelona too have reached a stage where they must evolve and look towards building for the future. The squad needs new faces and young players that will carry the mantle for the next decade or more.

Erling Haaland is only 20-year-old and if the Spanish outfit are able to sign him, they would secure the centre-forward role for the rest of the decade. This will be a major step in the right direction in terms of rebuilding the squad.

2. Ambition of the player

Erling Haaland is undoubtedly among the best strikers in the world right now. The 20-year-old Norwegian still has a lot of potential to unlock, which is a horrific prospect for defenders. Keeping the level of talent of the player in mind, his time at Borussia Dortmund could be cut short due to the inability of the club to win silverware.

BVB have proved to be incapable of toppling their rivals Bayern Munich and only make up the numbers in the UEFA Champions League. FC Barcelona would be the perfect destination for the player who should be in a team that contests for trophies, be it domestic or European.

1. Joan Laporta’s promise

One of the presidential candidates at FC Barcelona, Joan Laporta had claimed that, if elected to power, the club would make three big-name signings and one of them would be a striker. The indication to bring in Haaland is very clear.

The elections have been postponed till March 2021 due to the obstacles brought in by the coronavirus pandemic. However, if Laporta goes on to win the election, then the prospect of Haaland joining the Spanish giants will get a massive boost.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Twitter, Instagram and join our community on Telegram.