Barcelona, Real Madrid scouted FOUR stars in Liverpool v Man City as Erling Haaland truths emerge

TEAMtalk understands that Barcelona and Real Madrid were both represented at Anfield on Sunday to watch Erling Haaland in action as one of four players under surveillance, as the Manchester City striker continues to attract serious interest from Spain’s two biggest clubs.

The Norwegian superstar was among the standout performers as City secured a stunning 3-0 victory over Liverpool, opening the scoring with a brilliantly taken second-half goal to underline once again why he remains one of the most coveted forwards in world football.

We understand that both Barcelona and Real Madrid took the opportunity to assess Haaland closely, with the two Spanish giants long-term admirers of the prolific striker.

While neither club’s presence at Anfield was exclusively focused on Haaland, his performance was an important part of their respective scouting missions, with both sides continuing to monitor the possibility of a future move.

Speculation surrounding Haaland’s future, alongside that of several other Manchester City stars, has intensified following the recent guilty verdict in the Premier League’s financial breaches case involving the club.

However, the interest from Spain in Haaland significantly predates that verdict, with both Barcelona and Real Madrid having held a longstanding admiration for the striker.

The developments surrounding City may inevitably add another dimension to discussions about the futures of their leading players, but Haaland’s links with Spain are not a new consequence of the case.

Haaland signed a lucrative contract extension with Manchester City in January 2025, committing his future to the club in a deal that was widely viewed as a major statement of intent. At the time, City sources insisted that release clauses previously associated with the Norwegian’s contract had been removed.

However, as sources have confirmed, both Barcelona and Real Madrid believe that certain clauses do indeed remain in Haaland’s agreement…

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Barcelona have long admired Haaland and view him as an ideal long-term option to lead their attack. The Catalan club are considering how best to shape their forward line for the future, and Haaland’s profile, goalscoring record and age make him an attractive potential centrepiece for their next phase.

Real Madrid’s admiration for Haaland is equally well established. The Spanish capital has long been viewed as a potential destination for the striker, and TEAMtalk understands that Madrid remain in the conversation should circumstances create an opportunity to pursue him.

Reports in Spain have suggested that Kylian Mbappe has been somewhat unsettled at the Bernabeu, prompting fresh discussion about the club’s attacking plans.

However, Real Madrid have played down suggestions that their continued interest in Haaland necessarily means Mbappe would have to leave.

Accommodating both players would present an obvious tactical and financial challenge, given their profiles and preferred attacking roles.

Nevertheless, Madrid’s interest in Haaland is not simply a reaction to speculation surrounding Mbappe. The club have admired the Norwegian for a considerable period and remain alert to any developments that could change the feasibility of a move.

Haaland’s camp have long harboured an ambition for the striker to play in Spain at some stage of his career. That does not mean a transfer is imminent, and sources stress that nor does it guarantee that either Barcelona or Real Madrid will be able to prise him away from Manchester City.

For now, both Spanish clubs are continuing to gather information rather than making a formal move.

Haaland was not the only player attracting attention from Spanish scouts at Anfield. Barcelona have also been monitoring Ronald Araujo’s situation, while Real Madrid have been checking on Liverpool midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Florian Wirtz.

The presence of scouts at the match therefore formed part of a broader assessment of potential targets, rather than being exclusively about Haaland.

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