Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, is hellbent on bringing in a new superstar player in the summer transfer window. Not only will a superstar player help the team immensely in front of the goal but the instant recognition of the player also helps in shirt sales, ticket sales and other merchandise sales. While yes, the Catalan team will probably have to shell out a lot of money to bring in a player of that calibre, there are a lot of advantages of going for such a player. For a long time, there was no debate as to who that player would be but now a new figure has also emerged into the scene.
Erling Haaland was Laporta’s first choice and it made a lot of sense considering the fact that Barca let go of Luis Suarez in 2019 and then did not get a replacement for the player. Haaland is a world-class striker but he is also very young which makes him the perfect choice for a long term plan. However, now it seems as if Lionel Messi might be up for grabs as well. According to a respected journalist, Gerard Moreno, the Argentine’s father has contacted the club regarding a possible return to Barca. The mercurial star has not adjusted well to Ligue 1 and it is clear to see that he is not very motivated.
Barcelona has the chance to sign both Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland in the summer
However, will Messi actually be the better deal for the Catalans? The main issue is Haaland is a wanted player and if Barca waits on him, he might end up at a rival club. Messi on the other hand is also 34 years old and is not a long term solution. The best way to go about it and get the best of both worlds would be to sign the Norwegian striker next season and then wait for the Argentine’s contract to expire in 2023. However, then a new issue will arise regarding the wages. This is a tough decision for Barca and one they should contemplate a lot about before making a decision.
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