Erling Haaland's name continues to reach headlines in the world of soccer. The Norwegian is a true goal-scoring machine at Manchester City and has been one of the most desired players by the big European clubs in recent years. Now FC Barcelona could be moving to try and bring him to Camp Nou.
Joan Laporta has called City manager Pep Guardiola to propose a deal. The proposal is clear: Laporta would sign Haaland for Barça, while Pep Guardiola could bring in Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres, the unexpected striker for Sporting Lisbon.
Who is Viktor Gyökeres?
Gyökeres, a 26-year-old Swedish striker, has been impressing everyone at Sporting de Portugal since his arrival in summer 2023.
With his physical strength, ability to link up and his goal-scoring instincts, he's caught the attention of several big teams. He is not only a goalscorer, but also provides assists and runs from deeper positions.
Manchester City are eyeing Gyökeres as a possible replacement or addition to their offense, especially if a deal is reached to let Haaland go. What's interesting here is that the English club has a close link with Sporting Lisbon, due to a new move in their boardroom.
The Connection between City and Sporting
Gyökeres's move to City could be facilitated by the transfer of Hugo Viana, former director of Sporting CP, to Guardiola's team. Since 2018, Viana has managed Sporting's transfers, being key in the development of talents and the arrival of players such as Gyökeres.
City's announcement of Hugo Viana has led to the belief that this could speed up Viktor Gyökeres's arrival in the Premier League. With his knowledge of the Portuguese market and Sporting's players, Viana is key to City negotiating transfers, including the Swedish striker.
A Beneficial Deal for Laporta and Guardiola
If Barcelona is to succeed in signing Erling Haaland, a figure of Viktor Gyökeres's caliber could be an excellent option to fill the gap in Manchester City's offense.
Furthermore, Pep Guardiola has shown on many occasions that he can turn less high-profile players into world stars. Gyökeres could fit into his system and provide the physical strength and mobility that the Spanish coach looks for in his forwards.
On Barça's side, Haaland would be a dream transfer. The Norwegian would provide many goals and danger, something that Laporta is looking for to revitalize Barcelona after irregular years.
If this exchange were to go through, the world of soccer could be facing one of the most surprising moves in recent years.