ELECTION BOMB: XAVIER VILAJOANA CONFIRMS CONTACT WITH HARRY KANE AHEAD OF MARCH PRESIDENTIAL VOTE
Harry Kane to Camp Nou! Discover Vilajoana’s plan to land the Bayern star and what it means for Marcus Rashford’s 2026 future.
Xavier Vilajoana told ESPN he’s set on bringing Harry Kane to Barcelona if he wins the upcoming presidential election. He’s one of four candidates in the race at Camp Nou, and he’s already working on his plan to land the Bayern Munich striker.
Vilajoana’s campaign is all about ambition. If he comes out on top next month, he wants to go after Kane. That’s his headline promise. According to ESPN, he’s made it clear: Kane is his big target.
“We’re missing a striker,” Vilajoana said. “We need a centre forward who can link up play, sure, but also finish chances. Honestly, we could use a solid centre back too. Not that our current guys aren’t good, but we could use someone experienced to balance out the young players.”
“With those two signings, plus the talent we have coming up through the academy and already in the team, we wouldn’t have to overhaul the whole squad.”
Pressed on who he wants for that striker spot, Vilajoana didn’t dance around it. “There is one. We’ve even started to make contact, and I think he’d fit perfectly, assuming his contract situation works out. That’s Harry Kane.”
He really rates Kane. “He’s a centre forward who matches our style. Kane can drop back and link up with teammates, but he’s also a classic No. 9 deadly in the box. He’s mobile; he makes things happen even when teams sit deep. He’d make a big difference for Barcelona.”
As for Kane’s contract, ESPN reports there’s a release clause in his Bayern deal around €60 million. His contract runs until 2027, and they’re talking about an extension.
Not everyone thinks Kane will leave. Bayern legend Lothar Matthaus says he’ll stay put. “I don’t think he’s leaving. Money’s not what drives him; it’s about feeling good with the club, the coaches, and his family. He’s settled, and his kids are happy. Sure, he could earn way more in Saudi Arabia, but I’m convinced he’ll extend his contract at Bayern.”
Vilajoana doesn’t see it that way. He thinks Kane’s open to Barcelona. “I know he likes Barcelona. Honestly, who doesn’t? It just comes down to having the conversations.”
So, what does this mean for Marcus Rashford? Right now, Rashford’s on loan at Barcelona, and the club can sign him for good this summer. The situation’s a bit murky if Kane comes in.
Vilajoana’s approach is to look at what the club already has before spending big. “I always say, start in-house, then look outside if you need to. Take Jan Virgili, for example; he’s playing for Mallorca now, a great winger. Maybe we look at bringing him back instead of paying Rashford’s clause.”
He made it clear, though, that the president doesn’t just call all the shots. “The president puts the options on the table, the team discusses it, and together we make a decision.”
One thing’s certain: if everyone agrees that signing Rashford is best for the team, the money will be there to get it done.
DISCOVER JOAN LAPORTA’S BOLD FIVE YEAR PLAN TO RESTORE BARCELONA’S GLOBAL DOMINANCE
Joan Laporta secures a fourth term as Barcelona president, promising a golden era ahead of the UCL clash with Newcastle.
The election fight had wrapped up, with Victor Font outmanoeuvred without much resistance. But for Joan Laporta, the real challenge is just getting started reviving Barcelona’s position atop European football.
This Wednesday, Newcastle comes to Camp Nou for the Champions League round of 16, the tie delicately balanced after a 1-1 draw in England last week. Eddie Howe’s side enters as underdogs but has shown they can pose a real threat, leaving Laporta’s hopes hanging in the air.
Laporta described the last five years as pulling Barcelona back from the brink, taking over a club drowning in debt. Now, the goal is to build on that shaky foundation and push the team beyond last season’s semi-final finish, the first in six years. If Barca can go one step further and win in Budapest, Laporta might not even be officially in charge yet.
His new term, actually his fourth overall and second consecutive, officially begins in July. Until then, interim president Rafa Yuste manages the day-to-day. Laporta expressed support, saying if Yuste lifts the Champions League trophy, it’ll be "wonderful".
Behind the scenes, though, it’s clear 63-year-old Laporta remains the driving force. On election day, he mingled with club legends and key figures past and present, including Sergio Busquets, who helped bring home three Champions League titles.
That last Barca European triumph dates back over ten years to the Messi era, when the club seemed untouchable. Letting Messi go just months after Laporta returned in 2021 was a tough blow, a rare blemish on his record. Delays returning to a partially renovated Camp Nou and registration missteps over Dani Olmo added to a rocky start.
Many worried when Laporta pulled the "palancas", those financial tools to raise cash by selling future TV rights and assets, fearing it might cripple the club long-term. Yet, at least for now, that high-risk move has helped. Laporta and sporting director Deco backed signings like Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Kounde – moves aimed at restoring Barca’s elite status – and it seems to be paying off.
Their boldest call was hiring Hansi Flick, a bet on his style that has brought excitement and success. Barca clinched a domestic treble last season and reached the Champions League semi-finals, though it fell short against Inter Milan. Defensive frailties remain a concern, especially with Newcastle looking to exploit Barca’s high defensive line.
Still, on the bright side, Barca boasts young talents like winger Lamine Yamal and midfielder Pedri Gonzalez, arguably two of the best in the world at their positions.
After his win, Laporta confidently declared the coming five years would be “the best years of our lives", a bold statement considering he steered the club through Ronaldinho’s era, Messi’s rise, and Guardiola’s treble-winning team in 2009.
With Camp Nou reopening to nearly 63,000 fans and plans to expand to 105,000, Laporta believes the club’s financial health has improved enough to compete with wealthy Gulf-backed teams like Newcastle, now owned by Saudi interests.
“No one can stop us,” Laporta said, energised by victory. But given Barca’s mixed European fortunes over the last decade, doubts linger about whether they can overcome internal challenges.
Newcastle’s visit offers a chance to kick off Laporta’s new chapter with a statement win and push further into the Champions League quarter-finals. It’s an opportunity Barca can’t afford to miss.
WHY BARCELONA HESITATES TO TRIGGER MARCUS RASHFORD’S £26 MILLION BUY OPTION
Barcelona are stalling on Marcus Rashford’s £26M buy option, making a sensational Manchester United return a real possibility.
Barcelona seems to be hesitating when it comes to locking in a long-term deal for Marcus Rashford, whose contract with Manchester United still has more than two years to run. A return to Old Trafford remains on the table as a possible route. You can catch plenty of highlights, read analyses, or chat with those more immersed in La Liga, but gauging Barcelona’s true satisfaction with Rashford’s loan spell since last summer isn’t straightforward.
Most of the feedback is generally positive, and it’s clear Rashford would be keen to make the move permanent – understandably so, given the club’s stature. But whether Barcelona shares the same eagerness to keep him permanently is less obvious. Coach Hansi Flick has praised Rashford as a solid option, highlighting his finishing skills and versatility, which is encouraging, but usage patterns tell another story.
For instance, Rashford made a strong start by scoring twice in his debut at St James’ Park last August, but was only a substitute for twenty minutes in his recent appearance against Newcastle. Flick’s faith is evident but cautious; Rashford has started just over half of Barcelona’s La Liga matches, four of their nine Champions League games, tallying decent numbers: five goals and four assists in Europe, and four goals and eight assists domestically.
He featured in a few other competitions too, with a goal and assist in the Copa Del Rey and a limited impact in the Supercopa. Minor injuries have cropped up, but the stats suggest Rashford has been solid without really blowing anyone away. On the upside, he hasn’t been overworked, which has Thomas Tuchel’s attention. The England manager seems likely to take him to the next World Cup, where Rashford’s relatively fresh legs could set him apart.
If he shines at the 2026 World Cup, that £26 million buy option could start to look like a bargain for Barcelona. But the club’s transfer choices often get tangled up in financial and political factors, so the uncertainty around Rashford’s future isn’t surprising.
What should be clearer, though, is that going back to Manchester United isn’t as far-fetched as some might assume. Whether Michael Carrick stays or someone new takes charge, a fresh start could be on the cards if Barcelona doesn’t make the move permanent.
It’s been more than ten years since Rashford burst onto the scene with a brace in United’s Europa League win over Midtjylland in early 2016. At 28, nearing his prime years, there’s arguably more to come. Is the relationship with United’s leadership truly beyond repair? With new management stepping in next season, things might look very different from the tough split he had before.
Maybe Barcelona is eager to keep him, envisioning him as a key starter or future leader. Or maybe they’re not convinced. If it’s the latter, Rashford and United should seriously consider hitting the reset button.
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