Manchester City face the prospect of serious consequences after being found guilty of multiple financial breaches, and relegation could trigger a major exodus of their best players.
Erling Haaland would be one of the first stars expected to leave if City are relegated. The Norwegian has been in exceptional form since joining from Borussia Dortmund and has helped City win every major trophy available to them.
Arsenal have been tipped as a possible destination because they need a lethal striker, and Haaland would transform their attack. However, a report on Caught Offside says Barcelona currently lead the race for his signature.
Barcelona Lead Haaland Race
Barcelona have admired Haaland for a long time and see him as the ideal long-term successor to Robert Lewandowski. The Catalan club have not yet replaced the Polish striker after Atletico Madrid refused to sell Julian Alvarez to them during the summer.
Arsenal have the financial strength to pursue Haaland, but they have not yet made contact with his representatives or made him a concrete target. Barcelona’s long-standing interest and their need for a new leading striker give them an advantage in the current race.
Haaland’s contract runs until 2034 and contains no relegation clause, so any transfer would still require Manchester City to agree a major fee. City are expected to demand a premium price even if relegation becomes a reality.
City Face Uncertain Future
Manchester City were found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought against them, with potential sanctions including fines, points deductions, relegation or even expulsion from the Premier League. The club have appealed the decision, and the final punishment has not yet been announced.
If City are relegated, rivals across Europe are expected to attempt to sign their key players. Real Madrid and Barcelona have already been linked with Haaland, while Arsenal are monitoring the situation closely.
Haaland would be unlikely to remain at City if they dropped out of the Premier League, but his departure would not come cheaply. Arsenal may still enter the race, although Barcelona’s position as the current frontrunner makes a move to the Emirates more difficult.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
ADMIN COMMENT
So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….
You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us through this link…
Aren’t Barca supposed to be broke? And that’s ignoring the potential scandal erupting there.
To my mind, there are only a small number of clubs that are realistically the running for Haaland. The list is limited by clubs that (a) can afford his wages and (b) are in the mix for the big tropies. Sorry Italian and Saudi clubs.
Arsenal: Yes on both counts (competitive and have the money).
Barca: Competitive but famously broke. No.
Bayern Munich: Yes, and Kane isn’t getting any younger.
Chelsea: Could afford (for now…) but not competitive.
Liverpool: Doubt they can afford without moving 2 of Isak, Wirtz and Barcola on.
Manyoo: Have the money potentially, but not competitive.
PSG: Yes.
Real Madrid: Could afford but would need to move Vini or Mbappe on.
For me, it’s between us, Bayern and PSG. We have the greater need. Game on.
I’m happy the Maincheater wagon is about to disassemble.
It is just the way. Most players want to make their names/prove themselves at one of the two Spanish clubs at some point. It is just the way it is. There are exceptions but all roads lead to the two spots.
There are a few below that summit and I think that we are in that group or maybe there is a 2 a and 2 b, and we are in the b group.
Members of 2 a and 2 b change a bit over time but the top tier remains the same.
Supposed income levels in the two Spanish clubs are almost irrelevant. They always seem to find a way of skirting the financial environment – sometimes tighter and sometimes more flexible. I don’t even try to understand how that is but it is like the tides, they keep going up and down.
It would be awesome to see him in our red but I think it is a dream. The current and recent crop of City players seem to think of us with disdain, even with Arteta having been there.
And, lets not assume just yet that City has to break up the band. I will believe serious punishment when I see it, probably in about 750 years…
You mean in 114 years, assuming the world hasn’t ended…
Dream on, just like the Vinicius Junior and Alvarez charades, it’s never going to happen.
For all we know, the Arsenal not pulling the trigger on any of the highest cost or paying over the odds deals, which seemed to be about the only things available to us in our areas of need, were actually due to the expectation of City114’s likely predicament with its players. However, even if that was not the essence of our summer activity, the VJ and Alvarez deals may have been unlikely but they were not charades imo. I know, before you say it, we’ll have to agree to disagree on this one, lol. I doubt if we’ll end up with Haaland as well but there’s no telling where any of the City114 players will be once the dust settles on the club’s predicament.
Evening Bruised Banana,
While I hear you, you’re correct regards agreeing to disagree. You know me to well. 😂😉
👍Derek. I also believe it’s a good thing to know others believe differently because if we’re intelligent enough to be humble rather than arrogant we will at least consider the possibility that the truth is somewhere in the middle or entirely different than what we believe, regardless of our perspectives determining the relevant facts.
Bruised Banana,
Total respect for you’re last post.
Talking of Strikers, Gyokeres has put Sweden 1-0 up. That’s now 7 games on the trot he’s scored for Sweden. It’ll be interesting to see whether he starts for Saturday’s game against Leeds.
It depends on the punishment.
Assuming City are relegated through a points deduction to the Championship, I can’t see anyone leaving and that includes Maresca. One season only, realistically. Still on heaps of money.
Anything worse than that then it’s a different story
I can’t warm to Haaland at all. Maybe it was that hairdo and arrogance towards Arteta (and the annoyingly good goal tally for City). Ian made some good points.
But will they be able to keep their high wage players given what will be a massive decrease in revenues? I’m not entirely up on the testing time period(s) for current league and UEFA financial constraints but that would seem to be a problem carrying on from limited allowance to directly fund shortfalls with owner funds. A bit of a limited fire sale would seem to be the only solution.