Robert Lewandowski behind Erling Haaland and Mo Salah as Barcelona's preferences revealed - Reports

Robert Lewandowski is reportedly (via Mundo Derportivo) not at the top of Barcelona’s wishlist for the summer, with Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah sitting higher.

The Blaugrana are on the lookout for a new high-profile goalscorer. Borussia Dortmund ace Erling Haaland is supposedly their no. 1 target, but the club understand that getting the Norwegian will not be easy.

The 21-year-old striker has a €75million release clause in his contract, which is set to be activated in the upcoming summer. European heavyweights Real Madrid and Manchester City are also interested in the player, making life incredibly difficult for Barcelona.

As per MD’s report, Liverpool ace Mohamed Salah is Barca’s preferred alternative to the high-flying Norwegian. The Egypt international’s current contract with the Reds runs out in 2023 and the two parties are yet to agree on an extension.

Bayern Munich no. 9 Robert Lewandowski is on the same boat as Salah, as he, too, only has just over a year left on his contract. Barcelona are convinced of the player’s abilities, but three major factors are supposedly keeping them from going all-in for the Poland international.

Firstly, the Poland skipper is set to turn 34 in August, something that is not encouraging for the Catalonian outfit. Additionally, Barca believe that Bayern could ask for a considerable sum for their striker, despite him not wanting to renew with the Bavarians.

Lastly, the Camp Nou outfit also fear that Lewandowski could demand a significant salary, as it might be the final high-profile move of his career.

All factors combined, the Blaugrana might have a tough time getting their investment back over the next few seasons. The Polish striker’s agent, Pini Zahavi, however, has a good relationship with the Barca president, which could grease the wheel for the forward’s arrival.

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Getting Robert Lewandowski could make Barcelona a considerable force in Europe

Despite being on the wrong side of 30, the Pole’s abilities remain unparalleled. The Golden Boot front-runner (31 Bundesliga goals) is a big-game player, knows how to slip behind dogged defenses, and is an exemplary leader.

In Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Memphis Depay, Barca have a couple of truly capable scorers. However, they are not nearly as prolific or consistent as the Bayern front-man.

At Bayern, the 33-year-old has so far scored 339 goals and provided 69 assists in 366 games, averaging 1.11 goal contributions per match. With Lewandowski leading the line, Xavi’s Barcelona could once again emerge as hot favorites for the most prestigious competition around: the UEFA Champions League.