Barcelona's prospective president says it is 'absolutely possible' the club will sign Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland in 2021, despite its $1.4 billion debts
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Barnaby Lane
Feb 23, 2021, 17:17 IST
Barcelona could sing both Mbappe and Haaland, says Freixa.Getty/Alex Grimm
Barcelona could sign both Kylian Mbappe and Erling Braut Haaland this summer despite the club's crippling debts.
That's according to presidential candidate Toni Freixa, who says landing the two superstar players is "absolutely possible."
"It's what Barca should do. Incorporate players that can make a difference," he said.
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FC Barcelona could sign both of the two hottest young players in world soccer - Kylian Mbappe and Erling Braut Haaland - this summer, despite the club's crippling debts.
That's according to presidential candidate Toni Freixa, who says landing the two superstar players in the coming months is "absolutely possible."
Quizzed further, he added: "We will never talk about players until we present them. It is a bad strategy because you serve other clubs that step on you in negotiations on a platter."
Mbappe, whose current deal with Paris Saint Germain expires in June 2022, has been negotiating with the French champion over a new contract in recent months.
Though he has yet to put pen to paper, PSG is expected to offer him an annual salary in excess of $30 million to ensure he stays, according to CBS Sports.
Haaland on the other hand has over three years remaining on his current deal with Borussia Dortmund remaining having only joined the club from RB Salzburg last January.
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His deal does contain a $96 million buy-out clause, however that cannot be triggered before the summer of 2022.
According to the Irish Mirror, Dortmund is open to selling him sooner such is the demand for his services. The 20-year-old striker himself will demand a five-year package worth $110 million from any interested club, it added.
Should he depart, Barcelona is likely to need some new attacking firepower, which may be where Haaland and Mbappe come in.
A 3-horse race for the presidency
Freixa is one of three men still vying to take over as Barcelona's president, one of the most prestigious but high pressure jobs in global sport.
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In the March 7 election, Freixa will face off against Joan Laporta and Victor Font. Laporta is considered by many to be the favorite, thanks largely to the fact that he was Barcelona's president between 2003 and 2010 during one of the most successful periods of its recent history.
During Laporta's penultimate year as president, the club won six trophies, a record haul that included La Liga and the Champions League.
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