Manchester United legend tips Barcelona to sign Erling Haaland if Manchester City are relegated

Erling Haaland could likely become a Barcelona player if Manchester City suffer relegation following the Premier League’s financial investigation, says former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes.  Speaking on the podcast The Good, The Bad & The Football , Scholes predicted that the Norwegian would move to Spotify Camp Nou if City were forced out of the top flight as part of the eventual punishment. The comments come amid a significant development in the case.  On September 29, 2026, an independent Premier League commission found Manchester City guilty of serious financial rule breaches, as well as the majority of the charges relating to the club’s failure to cooperate.  City subsequently lodged an appeal on October 1, meaning the disciplinary process remains ongoing. Scholes predicts Barcelona move for Manchester City striker Scholes predicts Haaland will join Barcelona if City are relegated. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) Scholes was asked where Haaland could end up if Manchester City were relegated.  Although he admitted that the striker appeared suited to Real Madrid, the former United midfielder ultimately backed Barcelona as his predicted destination. “Barcelona. Although he looks like a Real Madrid player. I can easily picture him in a Real Madrid shirt, but he’ll go to Barça,” he predicted.  The prediction is particularly striking given Haaland’s long-term commitment to Manchester City. The 26-year-old signed a new contract in January 2025 that keeps him at the Etihad Stadium until 2034. Nicky Butt raises questions over Haaland’s future plans As such, Scholes was not the only former Manchester United player to discuss the Norwegian’s situation.  Barcelona continue to keep Haaland on their radar. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images) His former teammate Nicky Butt also suggested that preparations for a possible future move could already be underway, pointing towards the involvement of Haaland’s father, Alf-Inge. “I’d be surprised if he didn’t already have something lined up somewhere. (His father) is everywhere. He even turns up in the box half the time. He watches his son play and tries to take all the credit,” said Butt. Barcelona face a difficult route to signing Haaland Barcelona have monitored Haaland for some time, but his financial demands and Manchester City’s strong contractual position have made a deal difficult to pursue. For now, only a potential relegation could change the circumstances, although it would not automatically make the striker available.  This is because City have appealed the commission’s findings, and the eventual sanctions have yet to be determined.