Erling Haaland leaving Manchester City for another club is inevitable, according to Gareth Barry.
Haaland, the red-hot favourite to once again finish the Premier League season as top scorer, is under contract at the Etihad Stadium until 2034.
But talk of Haaland eventually making the move to Spain to join one of Barcelona or Real Madrid has refused to go away.
And Barry, who was part of the City side that famously won the Premier League on the final day under Roberto Mancini in 2012, expects the Norway star to eventually make the move away from the Etihad Stadium.
“Erling Haaland leaving Man City one day is inevitable,” Barry told GOAL.
“As much as Haaland’s association with City is really big, and that will keep him there for now, he won’t be rocking the boat like you see a lot of other players doing.”
City won the FA Cup and EFL Cup last season but, with Pep Guardiola leaving the club after a 2025-26 campaign that saw them miss out on the Premier League title for the second successive season, Barry feels a changing of the guard at the top of English football could influence Haaland’s thoughts on his future.
“I think if City’s dominance does wane a little bit and the trophies aren’t coming in, it will fuel the speculation,” Barry added.
“It is natural sometimes to want a new challenge, and I’m sure Haaland will be no different.
“It’s not just going to happen overnight. Haaland will think about his career, which is short.
“But if the trophies aren’t coming in, it will just fuel speculation. He will have offers from all over the world because he’s the best striker in the world, so it’s just natural.
“It’s one you can see happening in the future. A lot will depend on how competitive City are in Europe and the Premier League in the next year or two, I should imagine.”
