Barcelona launch ‘desperate’ move to sign Man City star hours after Real Madrid defeat

Barcelona have launched a "desperate" move to sign Manchester City star Erling Haaland ahead of the club's presidential election on Sunday.

Club members will vote in Barca's 15th election since 1953, with more than 100,000 set to put their name on the official ballot at five different polling stations - including the Nou Camp.

Blaugrana fans have two candidates to choose from, with long-standing president Joan Laporta recently re-signing to run again and going up against Victor Font for the second time after their 2021 vote.

And according to MARCA, Haaland is the "main draw" for both candidates as they look to secure all-important votes.

The Norwegian, who drew a blank against rivals Real in the 3-0 Champions League loss in, has long been linked to Barca and was a key attraction for votes in 2021 when he was a Borussia Dortmund player.

With all of Europe's big hitters pursuing Haaland, City won the race and acquired the striker after triggering his £51 million release clause.

Erling Haaland has scored 153 goals since signing for City. Image: Getty

Barca, who lost Lionel Messi not long before, had held talks with his representatives after being earmarked as a priority by Laporta.

The scenario is repeating itself five years on, with Laporta claiming that "signing Haaland is possible" at a recent event for his book.

Font is also using Haaland as a way to get votes though. Speaking on the 'Què t'hi jugues?' programme on Thursday, he said: "We are convinced that we can have a preferential option to sign Haaland, if one day he wants a new project, something that often happens with players who don't belong to a specific place."

Haaland's agent responds to Barcelona rumours

Haaland is in his fourth season at City and in January 2025, he penned a long-term contract until 2034. It has been claimed that Barca officials have been in touch with Haaland's camp but that was denied by his agent Rafael Pimienta, who stressed that he is "very happy" and there is "nothing to discuss regarding a transfer".

We have a lot of respect and admiration for Barcelona, ​​but there has been no contact whatsoever, either with Haaland or his manager at Barcelona or with any other potential transfer targets," representative Pimienta said to El Chiringuito de Jugones.

"The player renewed his contract a few months ago. He's very happy at City, he's doing very well, and honestly, we have nothing to discuss regarding a transfer when everything is going so well with his current situation."

Winning the treble in his first season at City, Haaland has scored a staggering 153 goals in 186 games - including 29 in 40 games this season.

However his goals have dried up since the turn of the year, with only Haaland only managing to find the net four times in all competitions in 2026.