Erling Haaland is the most sought after player in Europe right now.
The Dortmund forward is in the form of his life having netted a staggering 33 goals in just 30 appearances in all competitions for the Bundesliga club this season.
A whole host of clubs are queuing up to sign him with Manchester United,Chelsea and Manchester City the Premier League sides leading the race for his signature.
But Real Madrid and Barcelona are also very keen, with both clubs holding meetings with his agent and father on Thursday in Spain.
Club visits & private meetings
Haaland’s father Alf-Inge and his agent Mino Raiola were spotted arriving in Barcelona on Thursday.
The former Manchester City star and super-agent were met by Barcelona president Joan Laporta’s right-hand man, according to Spanish publication Sport.
The pair are believed to have travelled with him to Barcelona where they were met by Laporta.
There a two-hour meeting is said to have taken place, where the trio thrashed out the finer details of a potential transfer ahead of the summer window.
Barcelona were not one of the front runners to sign Haaland, but after Thursday’s meeting, they have moved up the queue.
The Catalan giants have huge debts, north of £1billion, but Laporta is new to the job and is keen to turn the club’s fortunes around.
Barcelona are out of the Champions League and trailing Atletico Madrid by four points in La Liga this season.
New recruits are vital if Barcelona are to start competing with the world’s best once more.
Not only this but Lionel Messi is out of contract at the end of the season.
He has been linked with a possible move to Paris Saint-Germain, but if Laporta can show Messi he is serious about turning Barca back into the force it once was, the Argentine may stay put.
After the meeting at Barcelona, Alf-Inge and Raiola visited Real Madrid president Florentino Perez in the capital.
Los Blancos appear in a better position financially to sign Haaland and are keen to add firepower to their attack given how the Luka Jovic and Eden Hazard deals have worked out.
Haaland was not in attendance at either meeting on Thursday as his dad and agent flew to Spain from Nice in France.
And it seems it will be some time before his future is decided.
Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc was asked about the meetings on Thursday and was relaxed about the situation as he told Sport1: “Yesterday I spoke to Mino Raiola.
“We’ve made our intentions very clear. [It’s] No problem when Alfie and Mino want to take a sunbath on the Mediterranean Sea. I am relaxed because I know what we want.”
Transfer comments and where Man United stand
The sight of Haaland’s father and agent in Spain will come as a blow to those at Manchester United, who are very keen on landing the 20-year-old striker at the end of the season.
Haaland actually has a release clause that comes into play in 2022 that will enable clubs to sign him for just £64million.
But Thursday’s meeting suggests Haaland will be the subject of a bidding war this summer and will likely be sold for much more than this amount.
Haaland has previously discussed the interest in him and casually played it down.
“I still have three years of contract [at Dortmund],” said Haaland. “I am not worried about that. The media are the ones who write about it, I don’t focus on those things.
“I want to improve every day. Ronaldo and Messi… I don’t need to talk about them. They are the best of all time. They are still very far away.”
Haaland’s comments suggest he will likely explore other avenues and although Barcelona and Real Madrid are in the driving seat now, they may not be in a few months.
(Image: INSTAGRAM – ERLING HAALAND)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is still hopeful he can entice Haaland to Old Trafford.
United look set to be without Edinson Cavani next season as he has his heart set on a return to South America, according to his dad.
This means the Red Devils can pretty much guarantee the striker first-team football.
Haaland worked with Solskjaer at Molde and keeps in regular touch with the United boss.
“When you have had kids and players through as a coach you follow them, of course,” Solskjaer explained.
“I keep in touch with Erling. It’s great to see him become the player he has become and I know he’ll work to improve all the time.
“He’s a Dortmund player, we just wish him well there and let’s see what life will bring later on.”
Whether Haaland wants to link up with his compatriot for the second time in his career remains to be seen.
