Barcelona ‘ready’ to sign Erling Haaland despite financial concerns
Barcelona board member Joan Soler has insisted the club are financially capable of signing Manchester City striker Erling Haaland this summer.
Soler’s comments come just weeks before the Catalan giants hold their presidential elections.
The club has navigated severe economic turbulence in recent years, grappling with debts exceeding £1bn.
Ambitions for Premier League stars
Despite the well-documented fiscal issues, the current administration claims to have stabilised the ship.
Soler, a key figure under current president Joan Laporta, believes the La Liga leaders can now compete for the world’s most expensive talent.
He specifically identified the Premier League’s top scorer and Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez as viable targets.
“Yes, we could sign players like Julian Alvarez or Erling Haaland,” Soler told Spanish radio station Cadena SER.
“These transfers will pay for themselves within five years, and Barcelona’s finances are ready for it.”
Election pressure and wage limits
Laporta is the favourite to win re-election when members vote on 15 March.
However, rival candidates have accused the current board of embellishing the reality of the club’s recovery.
The delay in returning to the Spotify Camp Nou has further strained revenue streams.
Soler maintained that while big signings are possible, the club will not break its salary cap structure.
“At the end of the day, Barca must be very careful about the commitments it makes regarding its wage structure,” he added.
“We have set ourselves a limit, and we will not exceed it. We must sign players at market prices while keeping an eye on our wage structure.”
Replacing Lewandowski
The pursuit of a marquee forward is driven by the contract situation of Robert Lewandowski.
The veteran Polish international’s current deal is set to expire in June.
Sporting director Deco is reportedly exploring the market for a long-term successor to the former Bayern Munich star.
While Haaland remains the dream target, World Cup winner Alvarez is considered a strong alternative.
However, Atletico Madrid have reportedly placed a valuation of nearly £175m on the Argentine attacker.