Barcelona Transfer News Roundup: Catalans have 2025 Erling Haaland plan, Nico Williams agreed summer move, and more - September 18, 2024
Barcelona are putting together final preparations ahead of their Champions League group-stage game against Monaco on Wednesday, September 18. Hansi Flick's team will be looking to continue their good form and make it six wins in as many games this season.
Meanwhile, the Catalan giants are planning to move for Erling Haaland next summer. Elsewhere, Nico Williams had agreed to join the La Liga giants this year.
On that note, let's look at the major Barcelona transfer stories from September 18, 2024.
Barcelona have 2025 Erling Haaland plan
Barcelona are planning to take Erling Haaland to Camp Nou in 2025, according to El Nacional. The Norwegian has been in impeccable form for Manchester City since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in 2022.
Haaland has registered 99 goals from 103 games across competitions for the English giants. The 24-year-old apparently believes he has conquered the Premier League and is already looking for his next adventure. Haaland wants to join a new team next summer and the Catalans are among the clubs eyeing him with interest.
The La Liga giants are laying down succession plans for Robert Lewandowski, who is in the final phase of his career. The Norwegian is the perfect candidate for the job, although Barcelona are likely to face competition from Real Madrid for his services.
However, Haaland may not be willing to play second fiddle to Kylian Mbappe at the Santiago Bernabeu. Barca will be hoping that is the case as they look to recreate the Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo era with a Haaland-Mbappe rivalry.
Barcelona could sign the Norwegian for €120m at the end of this season.
Nico Williams agreed summer move to Camp Nou
Nico Williams was willing to join Barcelona this summer, according to SPORT. The Spanish forward was a wanted man this year following an impressive campaign with Athletic Bilbao and La Roja.
Barca were looking for a new left-forward and had the 22-year-old on their agenda. It was initially believed that the La Liga giants were willing to trigger the player's reported €60m release clause. Unfortunately, a transfer failed to materialize and Williams ended up staying at San Mames.
However, it has now surfaced that the player had given his green light to the move. Williams enjoyed great success alongside Lamine Yamal at Euro 2024 and was ready to recreate that partnership at Camp Nou.
However, Barcelona's poor financial situation proved to be the issue. The Catalans didn't have the money to trigger the Spaniard's release clause and he ended up staying with Bilbao.
But they are likely to reignite their interest in Williams at the end of the season.
David Villa warns against Lamine Yamal-Lionel Messi comparisons
Former Barcelona forward David Villa believes it is unfair to compare Lamine Yamal with Lionel Messi. The 17-year-old exploded into the scenes with the Catalan giants last season, registering seven goals and nine assists from 50 games.
Understandably, he has been identified as the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner's heir at Camp Nou. Like Messi, Yamal also rose through the ranks at the club and is now tipped to achieve great things.
Speaking to MARCA, Villa admitted that his countryman is a unique player.
“I think, not because of Lamine, because he is a special player, a unique player, we have not seen anything like him I think ever because of his youth and precocity, but I have said it many times, to compare a player with Messi is a mistake,” said Villa.
“Anyone in the world of football: Lamine, Haaland, Mbappe… anyone. You can’t compare him to Messi because Messi is something else. But it’s true that this boy is doing some things that make us think that we don’t know where his ceiling is going to be," he added.
Yamal has hit the ground running under Hansi Flick this season, registering three goals and four assists from five games across competitions.