Barcelona make Haaland transfer decision amid rift between Guardiola and Man City star

Barcelona have reportedly decided to try to sign Manchester City striker Erling Haaland next summer as they look to cash in on their struggles.

Man City are going through their worst run in decades after winning just one of their last 11 games in all competitions.

And with the threat of receiving punishment for their alleged financial fair play breaches, that may give some current players pause for thought in 2025.

Haaland has been linked with an Etihad exit for months now but City are still in a strong position as his contract runs until the summer of 2027.

However, journalist Jota Jordi has stated that Barcelona president Joan Laporta and the Blaugrana’s upper management are in constant contact with the 24-year-old’s entourage about a transfer.

He said on El Chiringuito: “They say to me, we all know that Laporta has a very good relationship with the people of Erling Haaland, Rafaela Pimienta. And to me, what they tell me today (December 16), that the decision is made. The events of today have made Barcelona make the decision to activate Erling Haaland to be the centre forward next season.

“They doubt not only that Robert Lewandowski can hold on for 70 games being an undisputed starter, they doubt, from what they are seeing, that Hansi Flick believes that Robert Lewandowski can be the starting forward for these 70 games and because they believe that it is the right time to get Haaland out of Manchester City.

“We all know the situation in Manchester City, the stumbling blocks that he has on the table, the results that Pep Guardiola’s team is carrying, and from what they tell me, the player is also already predisposed and with the decision taken to leave next summer.”

This comes hot on the heels of other reports suggesting Haaland ‘can’t stand’ manager Pep Guardiola any longer.

DON’T MISS: Man City board unified over Pep Guardiola future after stunning resignation claims gather pace

Rift between Haaland and Guardiola?

TEAMtalk revealed that City have ruled out a possible transfer exit for the Norway international any time soon, following links with Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Our sources understood that it would likely take a world record fee to get Haaland out of City, with Neymar currently topping that list with his £200m (€222m, $254m) move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017.

However, fast forward to the present and reports in Spain, via Football365, suggest Haaland is ‘disappointed’ and ‘really upset with the current situation’ at City.

They add that poor results have ‘soiled the atmosphere’ in City’s dressing room and the ex-Borussia Dortmund star is ‘seriously considering saying goodbye’ to the Premier League champions.

Finally, and most shocking of all, the report adds that Haaland ‘can’t stand’ Guardiola any longer and has asked to ‘speed up negotiations’ with Barcelona.

Losing a man of the 6ft 4in forward’s quality would be tough to task, especially as he has scored 108 goals in 121 games for City since joining in 2022.

Man City transfer roundup: Wirtz blow, £200m war chest

Florian Wirtz may be set to snub transfer interest from a number of European giants to extend his stay at Bayer Leverkusen.

City have been linked with the 21-year-old, along with Madrid, Bayern Munich and more, but he seems to be inching closer to signing a new, lucrative deal until 2028.

Elsewhere, manager Guardiola will reportedly be handed a £200m war chest to make additions in the January transfer window as he looks to turn City’s season around. 

And some of those funds could allegedly go towards 29-year-old Bayern utility man Joshua Kimmich, who has less than seven months remaining on his contract with the German giants.

Finally, Napoli are reportedly planning to demand ‘big’ money from City for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who wants to move to Barcelona.

Who should Man City look to replace Pep Guardiola with if the manager leaves in 2025?