Why Mane could be about to ruin Haaland's dream move to Barcelona or Real Madrid
FT Desk
- 22 Feb 2022 15:57 GMT
- 7 min read
Despite a huge amount of interest from the Premier League's giants, it seems certain that Erling Haaland will either be joining Barcelona or Real Madrid this summer.
The Catalan giants will be desperate to land the Norway international as their marquee signing, as they look to put the troubles of the past few years behind them and get back to winning titles.
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Similarly, Madrid may already have one eye on snapping up Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe in the coming months, but Los Blancos have also reportedly banked enough cash to add Haaland to their summer business.
However, despite all of that, this summer’s transfer window could be turned on its head by the sudden availability of one of the continent’s best strikers. And that could throw any efforts to buy Halaand into disarray.
Sadio Mane’s departure from Liverpool?
According to Goal, Liverpool forward Sadio Mane has decided to leave the club at the end of the season.
That may be in part due to the club signing a direct rival to his position in Porto winger Luis Diaz, but the website claims that Mane’s real desire to leave the Anfield club is down to the player’s urge to play in Spain before his career comes to an end.
Mane still has a contract with Liverpool that is set to run until 2023, so he certainly won’t come cheap in the summer. But if the player is determined to move on, Liverpool may have to accept his demands and cash in on him at a certain price.
Indeed, a second report from Fichajes on Tuesday then suggested that Madrid have already earmarked a move for the Senegal international in the summer of 2022 or 12 months later, when Mane's contract comes to an end.
How does this impact Haaland’s plans?
While Barca and Madrid have high hopes of signing Haaland, it’s easy to see why both clubs may instead opt for a discounted Mane this summer.
Not only would the Senegal international be the perfect foil for Mbappe at Madrid, but he would also be an extremely enticing prospect for a Barca side that still don’t have a top-class goal scorer among their ranks.
Considering Mane’s age, comparisons between him and Haaland aren't entirely fair. But if either Spanish giant would prefer a cheaper stop-gap to an all-encompassing bid for Haaland in the summer, Mane could prove to be a more enticing option.
