Right after his official inauguration as the newly-elected Barcelona president, Joan Laporta was the fastest off the starting blocks to make the first bid for hottest rising star in the football world today, realizing fully well that he needs to make a splash in the transfer market if he is to convince Barca players and members alike that he means business.
After all, bringing the glory days back to a club that have been mired somewhat in mediocrity for some years now is not unlike having to clean the Aegean stables. But if anyone in the Camp Nou hierarchy can pull this near-Herculean feat off, it would most likely be the charismatic Laporta, the same man who in his first term as President at Camp Nou was primarily responsible for bringing Barcelona to the pinnacle of its days of glory.
Despite the deep financial pit that Barcelona have dug for themselves due to abysmal governance by the previous Board helmed by Josep Maria Bartomeu, Camp Nou’s newly-elected President has already launched the first offensive by being the first to make an official approach to superagent Mino Raiola for his hottest client, Erling Haaland, according to Sport.
Given that the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea are all known to be rolling out the red carpet for the hottest young striker today, Laporta’s bold move is the first to be made at the high stakes transfer market poker table for Haaland as the coveted prize.
The Barca President has unflinchingly made the first call, probably bolstered by his warm relationship with Raiola.
This could be his trump card that will ultimately pay the most handsome dividends.