Having finally taken office as Barcelona president this week, Joan Laporta will know that he needs to make a splash in the transfer market if he is to convince players and members alike that he means business.
Bringing the glory days back to a club that have been in the doldrums for a while now is no easy feat, however, if anyone can pull it off, it’s the charismatic new man in charge.
It’s vital for the Catalans that money is saved on wages collectively, whilst still being in a position to fight for the best available talent, and to that end, Sport are reporting that Laporta has made the first official approach to Mino Raiola for his client, Erling Haaland.
Given that the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City and Manchester United are all known to be interested in the player, his hire is already threatening to become a real tug of war.
If the early bird really does catch the worm, then Laporta has already played a blinder by putting his cards on the table straight off the bat.
His warm working relationship with Raiola may yet pay dividends.