The name of Norwegian Erling Haaland, Manchester City's striker, has once again been strongly linked with a move to Spanish club Barcelona, following the critical situation his club is facing with the Premier League.
Manchester City has been suffering from a major legal crisis since being found guilty by an independent investigation committee on all charges related to breaches of the Premier League's financial regulations between 2009 and 2018.
Lamine Yamal rejects signing a new striker
According to the Spanish newspaper "El Nacional," Manchester City's sanctions will push many key players to consider moving to other clubs, and this is where the Norwegian star comes into play.
Juan Laporta, president of Barcelona, has not forgotten Haaland's great talent and potential. Although it was a far-fetched dream, it could become more realistic than ever in 2027, at a reasonable price.
A release clause worth €175 million in his contract would be triggered, an amount Barcelona might try to reduce, but Lamine Yamal is not convinced of the feasibility of this investment.
Lamine Yamal does not see the need to overspend on signing Haaland, given the exceptional performance of his teammate Raphinha Dias, with whom he shares a wonderful relationship, and who has shown this season that he is capable of being the team's main striker.
The winner of the 2026 World Cup advises the Catalan club's sporting director, Deco, against signing another number 9 striker, thereby ruling out the 2020 Golden Boy award winner as well, Julian Alvarez.
Lamine Yamal demands full trust for Hamza Abdel Karim
Another reason, according to the "El Nacional" report, prompting Lamine to delay his approval for the arrival of Haaland, Julian, or any other star striker, is the presence of Hamza Abdel Karim. The Egyptian talent surprised everyone during his first weeks with Barcelona's first team, and Yamal demands that he be given the confidence he needs.
If he is already receiving limited playing time, his chances of participating would significantly diminish if a big star were signed for the center-forward position.
Hamza Abdel Karim scored his first international goals during the match against South Sudan, which ended in a 5-0 victory for the Pharaohs, becoming the third youngest player to score for the Egyptian national team.
Meanwhile, Hamza Abdel Karim joined Barcelona on loan in January 2026, played with the youth team, before getting the opportunity to participate in the first team's pre-season, and signing a long-term contract with him.
