Barcelona's Striker Dilemma: Álvarez and Alternative Options
Barcelona have stepped back from an all-out push for Julián Álvarez and are now scrambling through alternative striker options as the transfer window ticks towards its close, sources have told ESPN.
The club have not abandoned Álvarez altogether. Far from it. The idea of returning for the Atlético Madrid forward, even as early as January, remains alive inside the club. But Atlético’s firm refusal to negotiate has forced sporting director Deco to look elsewhere.
Flick wants a No.9. The club is split.
Hansi Flick has been clear since day one: after the exits of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres, he wants a recognised No.9. A reference point. A finisher.
Not everyone at Barça agrees.
Some influential voices inside the club argue the squad already carries enough firepower and flexibility to survive without a traditional striker. For them, the priority is not forcing through an expensive deal in the final days of the window.
Álvarez, though, has been the dream target. As ESPN revealed earlier this year, Barça made him their top priority and even saw an offer of around €100 million knocked back earlier in the summer. Atlético have held their line throughout: the Argentina international is not for sale.
That stance has not shifted even after Álvarez told ESPN publicly that he wants to change clubs. Barcelona had hoped those comments would crack Atlético’s resistance. They haven’t. One source now accepts that, barring a “radical” late twist, the deal is off the table for this month.
Internal solutions vs market chaos
Flick’s wish for a No.9 still stands, even if it’s not Álvarez. The counterargument inside the club is simple: use what you already have.
Names are being pushed from within. Raphinha, Karim Adeyemi, Anthony Gordon and even Lamine Yamal are all seen as players who can operate through the middle if needed. Fermín López and Dani Olmo have already been used as false nines in the past, offering another tactical route.
Right now, the only natural centre-forward who has been with the squad in preseason is 18-year-old Egypt international Hamza Abdelkarim. Talented, raw, and very young. Hardly the profile of a guaranteed starter for a club defending a league title.
Targets falling away
Barcelona’s search has already taken several hits.
Earlier in the summer, the club explored moves for João Pedro and Junior Kroupi. Those doors have slammed shut. João Pedro has signed a new contract with Chelsea, while Kroupi, now at Bournemouth, has been ruled out for up to four months with a foot injury.
As the window has worn on, other names have floated across Deco’s desk. Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martínez and Sporting CP striker Luis Suárez have both been linked. On paper, both fit the bill. In reality, the prices involved make any move unrealistic for now.
One source adds that Barça have tracked Benjamin Sesko for years, rating him highly. But the Manchester United attacker is currently considered impossible to sign under the club’s financial constraints.
Villarreal pair enter the frame
With elite targets blocked or priced out, attention has turned closer to home.
Villarreal duo Ayoze Pérez and Georges Mikautadze have both been discussed internally. According to a source, Barça have been particularly impressed by Mikautadze’s data and performances since his arrival in Spain, viewing him as a profile worth serious analysis.
For now, Barcelona stand in an awkward place: their preferred No.9 is locked away at Atlético, the market is inflated, and the clock is ticking. Flick wants a striker. The squad already bristles with attacking talent. Deco is caught in the middle.
Something has to give before the window shuts. The question is whether Barcelona bend towards pragmatism, or push once more for the kind of statement No.9 that can reshape their season.
