Barcelona name ambitious transfer alternatives if Haaland deal falls through

FC Barcelona may still be in the middle of a financial crisis, but they are not letting that hold them back in the transfer market. Apart from recent reports that suggest they want to challenge Real Madrid for both Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, they have now named two more big-name targets.

Mbappe will likely join Los Blancos if PSG fail to convince him to extend his contract. Barcelona have a better chance of convincing Haaland to choose the Camp Nou over the Santiago Bernabeu, but if that fails, Marca claims that they have their eyes on Mohamed Salah and Robert Lewandowski.

Saying that those two signings are ambitious is an understatement, especially for a club with limited resources. However, Barcelona is still one of the most prestigious clubs in the world, and their current form under manager Xavi Hernandez might entice an equally ambitious player.

Salah is reportedly unhappy with his situation at Liverpool at the moment, owing to the fact that he has not been given the same level of international recognition as a player of his calibre should. He may opt to join a club like Barcelona, which could give him a higher profile on the international stage.

As for Lewandowski, he missed out on the Ballon d'Or in recent years despite stellar performances for FC Bayern Munich. Not many clubs could be considered as better options over the Bavarian side, but Barcelona will always be an attractive destination if he seeks a new challenge.

Xavi appears to have secured Champions League football for the Blaugrana, taking them up to third place in La Liga. Lewandowski is contracted to Bayern until 2023, which may mean that Barcelona need to fork out a sizable fee if they want him this summer.

Salah is also contracted to Liverpool for another season, making it another long-shot bid. However, the player himself may make a difference if he makes a transfer request.