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Erling Haaland is reportedly one of the prime targets for Barcelona in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The Norwegian international has ripped apart the best defenses in Europe over the last 18 months, thereby leading to every big club aiming to land his signature. But this also means that the Blaugrana could fail to seal a move for the 21-year-old superstar.
Erling Haaland joining Barcelona is not a forgone conclusion
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The Borussia Dortmund ace has impressed several clubs around Europe's top five leagues and many are ready to splash the cash too.
Manchester City have an empty striker role for him to fill, while Real Madrid might also dream of partnering him with Kylian Mbappe.
Alternatively, Paris Saint-Germain could also try their hand at signing the attacker if Mbappe decides to leave the French capital. To add to this, Barcelona had to let go of several players last summer due to their financial downfall.
So signing Haaland is not going to be easy, courtesy of which they would be clever to think of alternatives.
On that note, let's take a look at five players Barcelona could sign if they fail to sign Haaland in the summer transfer window.
#5 Karim Adeyemi- €35 million
Karim Adeyemi is the next German star to have taken the Austrian Bundesliga by storm in the last couple of years.
Haaland came to prominence at RB Salzburg and the Munich-born star is now doing the same.
Although Adeyemi is short in stature, his speed allows him to be a constant threat behind defenses. The German international is always playing on the shoulder of the last man or is helping link up play in tight spaces.
While he is only 20, he shows a lot of maturity in front of goal and is capable of playing in multiple roles across the frontline. While his goal-scoring numbers are nowhere near Haaland's, he has managed 19 goals in 35 appearances this season.
Barcelona have a young and bustling team and Adeyemi will certainly be a positive addition to that line-up, especially if they fail to convince Haaland to join them.
#4 Andre Silva - €38 million
Andre Silva has had a topsy-turvy five years in European football but now looks at home at RB Leipzig. The German club lost Timo Werner to Chelsea in the summer of 2021 and replaced him with an equally able goal-scorer.
The Portuguese ace is clever in his movement, efficient in finishing and effective in the final third of the pitch. Although Leipzig often create countless chances, Silva finishes off those that land at his feet.
This has led to him scoring 15 goals in 38 appearances across all competitions this season, which is a healthy return. However, Silva is now entering his peak years and Barcelona could make use of that by churning out his best years at the Nou Camp.
Signing Haaland is likely to be a transfer priority but Silva is certainly not a bad alternative to his Bundesliga counterpart.
#3 Darwin Nunez- €40 million
Darwin Nunez is one of the best poachers of the ball in the game at the moment. The Portuguese ace joined Benfica in 2020 and has been on fire since then.
Smart on and off the ball, Nunez has been deadly in front of goal this season. The centre-forward is identifying the right spaces at the right time and is exploiting them with his pace and finishing abilities.
He also has a ton of stamina, courtesy of which, he helps the team in recovering the ball too. However, one aspect Barcelona would love about him is his capability to link-up play and spot threatening passes in the final third.
Xavi has the club playing wonderful football again and the Benfica ace could be a great fit in this system.
Like Haaland, Nunez has a knack for being explosive and scoring goals for fun and would be a great alternative if Barcelona fail to sign the Norwegian star.
#2 Patrik Schick- €40 million
The second Bundesliga player on the list, Patrik Schick, might be the ideal fit for Barcelona if they fail to sign Haaland in the summer.
The centre-forward has quickly become one of the most in-form strikers across Europe's top five leagues.
Although Bayer Leverkusen have failed to launch a title charge this season, they owe their third spot in the table to their world-class attacker. Deft touches, sensational close control and ruthless finishing have led to Schick scoring 20 goals in 20 appearances in the Bundesliga this season.
The Czech Republic star also shined for his country at the Euros last summer and could be a hit in La Liga.
The 26-year-old ace is five years older than Haaland but could play the better part of his career by leading Barcelona back to winning titles again.
#1 Alexander Isak- €40 million
Alexander Isak has caught the attention of multiple clubs over the last two years, thanks to his brilliant performances at Real Sociedad.
Although he only has eight goals in 32 appearances to his name this season, there is a lot of potential in the budding 22-year-old star.
Although not the fastest man on the pitch, Isak is a massive presence in the box at 6'3. His movement is intelligent and his eye for assists is also spectacular.
While he is not the best player to have during counter-attacking situations, he does facilitate the build-up play by holding up the ball superbly. So as long as Barcelona have willing runners on both sides of the Swedish star, he can flourish in any system employed by Xavi.
While Isak could also cost a fortune, it is likely to be a fee lesser than the one that Haaland might command.
Moreover, the 22-year-old ace is already privy to La Liga and could fit in seamlessly at the Nou Camp if they decide to seal a move for him in the summer.
