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Barcelona are putting together final preparations ahead of their La Liga game against Mallorca on Friday, March 8, at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Xavi’s men are third in the league after 27 games, eight points behind runaway leaders Real Madrid.
Meanwhile, striker Erling Haaland would prefer to join the Blaugrana when he leaves Manchester City. Elsewhere, Girona midfielder Aleix Garcia has reiterated his desire to move to the Camp Nou.
On that note, here's a look at the key Barcelona transfer stories as on March 7, 2024:
Erling Haaland prefers to join Barcelona
Erling Haaland prefers to join Barcelona over a move to Real Madrid, according to Manchester City insider Tolmie’s Hairdoo.
The Norwegian striker is a wanted man in the European circuit, thanks to his exploits with the Cityzens. Haaland helped Pep Guardiola’s team win a historic treble last season and has been in impeccable form this term as well.
The 23-year-old has registered 29 goals and six assists in 32 outings across competitions. The Blaugrana are looking for a long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski and reportedly have their eyes on Haaland.
The La Liga giants are hoping to bring Haaland to the Camp Nou to help negate Kylian Mbappe’s impending arrival at the Santiago Berbnabeu.
However, Los Blancos are also keen to get their hands on the Norwegian as they look to assemble the best frontline in the world.
It now appears that Barcelona have an advantage over their rivals in the race. Haaland was reportedly touched by the reception at the Camp Nou during a charity game in the 2022-23 season.
Should the opportunity arise to choose between the two Spanish giants, the player could opt for the Blaugrana. However, the report also adds that the 23-year-old is likely to sign a new deal with City soon.
Aleix Garcia wants Camp Nou move
Aleix Garcia has once again spoken of his desire to join Barcelona.
The Spanish midfielder has been a revelation for Girona, who are second in the league after 27 games, with 18 wins and four defeats. Garcia has been a consistent part of Michel’s starting XI this season and has apparently turned heads at the Camp Nou.
The 26-year-old was in the news in during the winter after publicly admitting that he wants to play for the Blaugrana. The La Liga champions are likely to be in the market for a new midfielder this summer and have been linked with Garcia as well.
Speaking recently to SPORT, the Spaniard said that he has been following Barcelona since a child.
“I don’t regret having spoken well about Barça, but about the moment and the ways. In the end, I’m very transparent, and sometimes I’ve talked about it with other colleagues. Why can’t we be transparent? I would like to play for Barça. It’s the club I’ve followed since I was a kid and the one I’ve always liked,” said Garcia.
Garcia has appeared 28 times across competitions this season for Girona, registering three goals and five assists.
Blaugrana receive Roberto De Zerbi boost
Barcelona have received a boost in their efforts to secure the services of Roberto De Zerbi.
The Italian manager has earned rave reviews after transforming Brighton & Hove Albion into an impressive outfit since taking charge in 2022. The Blaugrana are looking for a new manager following Xavi’s decision to leave at the end of the season.
De Zerbi has emerged as a choice, and Pep Guardiola has reportedly suggested his name to the La Liga champions as well. The Italian manager is a wanted man, with AC Milan, Napoli, Liverpool and Bayern Munich also hot on his heels.
However, speaking to the press, De Zerbi seemed to hint that he isn’t ready to return to Italy just yet.
“It’s not true that I don’t think about it. One day, I will come back to Italy. I don’t know when but when I made the choice to go to Shakhtar I did it because I wanted to find a way outside Italy. Without going into too many details, there were some things in Italy I didn’t like. I decided to do something else,” said De Zerbi.
Barcelona also have their eyes on former Bavarians manager Hansi Flick for the hot seat at the Camp Nou.
