Alves dismisses Haaland in favour of ‘complete’ Mbappe

Barcelona legend Dani Alves was ‘playing sporting director’ as he said that he could encourage his club to chase Kylian Mbappe but not to go ‘all out’ for Erling Haaland.

Real Madrid reportedly want both in the Spanish capital but Alves – who played with Mbappe at PSG – has made it clear who he rates as the best young attacker in the world.

Both players are likely to be out of Barcelona’s price range but that did not stop Alves comparing the pair.

“I wouldn’t go all out for Haaland. Honestly, I wouldn’t spend a lot of money on him,” Alves said to Sport and Mundo Deportivo.

“On Mbappe yes, but not on Haaland. I’m playing sporting director, eh, but I’d go for Mbappe first, I think he’s more complete in every aspect. 

“If you’re going to make a huge investment, you have to make it in the best. If it was up to me, I’d go for. He’s the best there is, and for Barcelona’s style, at the moment, in football, there is no-one better than him.”

Mbappe has scored 28 goals in all competitions for PSG this season and could yet stay at the club if they throw enough money at him.

Meanwhile, Haaland has scored 23 goals in 25 games for Borussia Dortmund in an injury-hit season.

The Norwegian is not interested in joining Manchester United this summer due to his concerns over the club’s trajectory, according to reports.

Haaland, 21, is set to leave Borussia Dortmund this summer. He has scored 80 goals in 83 appearances for the Bundesliga giants and will not be short of suitors when his €75m release clause becomes active at the end of the season.

Manchester City are thought to be the current favourites but they are not the only European heavyweight targeting the Norwegian, with United, Barcelona and Real Madrid also interested, among others.

Earlier this season, United assured Haaland and his representatives that they would be able to match any financial package offered by another club, but according to ESPN, money will not be a major factor in the striker’s decision, as Haaland is more interested in the “sporting project” that a club can offer.

As a result, he has rejected the option of joining United due to his fears over the on-pitch future of the club. United are 7th in the Premier League table and are set for a period of transition when interim boss Ralf Rangnick hands over the reins to a permanent manager at the end of the season.

Alves also had his say about right-backs he rates, saying: “I like Liverpool’s [Trent] Alexander-Arnold a lot, I also like [Achraf] Hakimi a lot, but I like what he does.

“There is one at Flamengo, he is young, I like the way he plays and how he understands the game.”