Erling Haaland

[JamDav1982]

All building up to the 'we tried as hard as could but couldnt afford the astronomical sums team Haaland wanted' or even further with 'Haaland wanted to come but club could not afford to match other offers'.

While in reality were rejected by Haaland.

 

[mc_lovin]

What would you do different? Realistically that's the hand we need to play to have outside chances.

 

[fergus90]

300 million package for Haaland is ridiculous even if there was unlimited funds.

 

[KingLeo10]

300M for a guy who's proven next to nothing at CL KO level and has injury history?

No thanks.

 

[Andresito]

All building up to the 'we tried as hard as could but couldnt afford the astronomical sums team Haaland wanted' or even further with 'Haaland wanted to come but club could not afford to match other offers'.

While in reality were rejected by Haaland.

Do you think Barca offered matching offers compared to Madrid and City but Haaland said no?

Could well be that Barca rejected Haaland. He told them his demands but club said no thanks, not worth it.

Can flip it both ways.

 

[JamDav1982]

Do you think Barca offered matching offers compared to Madrid and City but Haaland said no?

Could well be that Barca rejected Haaland. He told them his demands but club said no thanks, not worth it.

Can flip it both ways.

I dont think Haaland has any intention of signing for Barca and they will use money as reason when not the case.

Which I think any club that misses out on him will use as reason also.

 

[serghei]

300 million package for Haaland is ridiculous even if there was unlimited funds.

I'm probably wrong, but to me the more time it passes the more doubt I have about Haaland. Has he had a single super high profile match where he dominated a world-class team? I mean a Lewa vs Madrid 2013 type of moment?

Looks to me like another one of those mega-expensive bets that can go bad.

No high-profile advanced stages CL match, no World Cup, only Bundesliga, and CL groups, and we all know how Bayern owns Bundesliga and every other team is just happy to be perennial 2nd.

 

[serghei]

Haaland was hot stuff about 1.5 years ago, but the injuries since then, Dortmund being crap with or without him... his stock is getting cold if you ask me. No World Cup, Dortmund bounced even from Europa League... miles off from Lewandowski type where he was the best player in a CL finalist under Klopp.

I'd link him more to someone like Pogba at this stage.

 

[Temptation]

Haaland's demands are absolutely absurd. Apart from his frequent injuries, having Raiola as an agent will cost him dearly.

Raiola is one of the most overrated agents around. The image of a shrewd slimeball but an excellent agent is a carefully created image. Raiola has failed to get one of his most high-profile clients, Pogba, out of United to a club challenging for top honours. And Pogba has been unhappy and wanting a big move for years.

In terms of signing Haaland, the risk far outweighs the rewards. Dortmund were getting better results in the league before Haaland came than they did last season. This season they're doing well in the league again and guess what? Haaland has been injured for half the season.

Some of the demands are hilarious. What's next? Him asking clubs to pay for his cousin's exotic honeymoon?! Gimme a break!

 

[KingLeo10]

Haaland was hot stuff about 1.5 years ago, but the injuries since then, Dortmund being crap with or without him... his stock is getting cold if you ask me. No World Cup, Dortmund bounced even from Europa League... miles off from Lewandowski type where he was the best player in a CL finalist under Klopp.

I'd link him more to someone like Pogba at this stage.

Keep telling this to hype merchants who have him nailed on to score more goals than Messi or CR7 in his career, just because he had a great outing as a 19-20 year old.

He's got world class to perennial world class potential. Not GOAT tier IMO.

 

[serghei]

Keep telling this to hype merchants who have him nailed on to score more goals than Messi or CR7 in his career, just because he had a great outing as a 19-20 year old.

He's got world class to perennial world class potential. Not GOAT tier IMO.

He's got 3-4 levels to go through until even getting into ATG territory. This guy atm is nothing but promise based on some great numbers and skills displayed in a league that made Alcacer look like prime Aguero for one year.

 

[Trickykid]

Y'all are being silly.

Haaland's numbers in all leagues he's played in - ChL especially - are so absurdly ridiculous and puts him in a league of his own in terms of young talents. There is only him and the Madrid bound frenchie.

As others have mentioned, I do wonder how his physique and style of play holds up over time, though. Someone should probably tell him to track which side he's sleeping on...

Regardless I would absolutely love to see him here, just for the sheer god damned spectacle, no matter how it all goes down in the end. City and RM are ahead of us, I know, but I will keep hoping until anything is official. Being the superstar posterboy for the most exciting young core in world football must count for something, right?

 

[Temptation]

I don't think anyone's doubting Haaland's individual abilities. He's clearly an AMAZING goalscorer. He never gets nervous infront of goal. Has smoothly made the step up from the Norwegian league(Bryne --> Molde) to the Austrian Bundes(Salzburg) to Bundesliga(Dortmund). Done well in CL group stages and shit.

People are put off by his ridiculous financial package and some absurd demands from his entourage. Red Flag.

Haaland's injury record is awful for a player of his age and profile. He relies on his strength and pace which means injuries can threaten a genuine steep decline. Red Flag.

Finally, people have doubts regarding whether he'll fit into the correct Xavi system. Can it be that even if he performs well individually, the entire team(sum of the products) performs weaker? I'd argue that because of his age he has room to improve in the areas needed. He can be molded into the striker Barca need by Xavi. Whether he can adapt, remains to be seen.

All in all, the total investment is not at all a safe bet and is a massive gamble. If it goes tits up then it can have catastrophic repercussions for the club. And Barca are just recovering from a "financial meltdown" and years of dumb decision making.

 

[fergus90]

I don't think anyone's doubting Haaland's individual abilities. He's clearly an AMAZING goalscorer. He never gets nervous infront of goal. Has smoothly made the step up from the Norwegian league(Bryne --> Molde) to the Austrian Bundes(Salzburg) to Bundesliga(Dortmund). Done well in CL group stages and shit.

People are put off by his ridiculous financial package and some absurd demands from his entourage. Red Flag.

Haaland's injury record is awful for a player of his age and profile. He relies on his strength and pace which means injuries can threaten a genuine steep decline. Red Flag.

Finally, people have doubts regarding whether he'll fit into the correct Xavi system. Can it be that even if he performs well individually, the entire team(sum of the products) performs weaker? I'd argue that because of his age he has room to improve in the areas needed. He can be molded into the striker Barca need by Xavi. Whether he can adapt, remains to be seen.

All in all, the total investment is not at all a safe bet and is a massive gamble. If it goes tits up then it can have catastrophic repercussions for the club. And Barca are just recovering from a "financial meltdown" and years of dumb decision making.

Very well said.

 

[Trickykid]

I don't think anyone's doubting Haaland's individual abilities. He's clearly an AMAZING goalscorer. He never gets nervous infront of goal. Has smoothly made the step up from the Norwegian league(Bryne --> Molde) to the Austrian Bundes(Salzburg) to Bundesliga(Dortmund). Done well in CL group stages and shit.

People are put off by his ridiculous financial package and some absurd demands from his entourage. Red Flag.

Haaland's injury record is awful for a player of his age and profile. He relies on his strength and pace which means injuries can threaten a genuine steep decline. Red Flag.

Finally, people have doubts regarding whether he'll fit into the correct Xavi system. Can it be that even if he performs well individually, the entire team(sum of the products) performs weaker? I'd argue that because of his age he has room to improve in the areas needed. He can be molded into the striker Barca need by Xavi. Whether he can adapt, remains to be seen.

All in all, the total investment is not at all a safe bet and is a massive gamble. If it goes tits up then it can have catastrophic repercussions for the club. And Barca are just recovering from a "financial meltdown" and years of dumb decision making.

All perfectly valid points that have been bought up multiple times in here before.

I'm not going to say that going all in on Haaland is the most prudent action to take at this point, but I'm somewhat naively going to assume that Laporta won't make the move if it isn't financially feasible for the future - which it probably won't be, hence why he's most likely going elsewhere. It won't stop me from having wet dreams about it happening, though.