Barça’s transfer alternatives to Julián Álvarez
Barça have put a two-week deadline on activating a plan B to sign the striker Flick needs.
Last Friday, Atlético Madrid CEO Gil Marín appeared to shut the door on Barcelona’s pursuit of Julián Álvarez. Despite the striker’s desire to leave Atlético Madrid, both he and Joan Laporta were told the same thing: “Our position is not up for negotiation. We will not sell Julián for €100 million ($114 million), €150 million ($171 million) or €200 million ($228 million).”
Hours later, speaking to Catalunya Ràdio from New York, the Barcelona president responded: “All I know is that we have made an offer, and it is there. At a certain point, we will say that its validity has expired. That will be at the end of July.”
In other words, Barcelona have around two weeks before they may have to activate the contingency plans drawn up by their sporting department.
The club has several alternatives on the table, ranging from proven goalscorers to emerging talents. Whoever arrives, however, will face the daunting challenge of succeeding Robert Lewandowski and will need both the quality and mentality to cope with the pressure.
One option is João Pedro. Although Carlo Ancelotti left him out of Brazil’s World Cup squad, the Chelsea forward is highly rated by sporting director Deco, who has said he knows the player’s entourage well. Capable of playing as both a centre-forward and a second striker, the 24-year-old scored 20 goals in 50 competitive appearances for Chelsea last season. The biggest obstacle is his price. Chelsea paid around €80 million ($91 million) for him and are under no pressure to sell. Unless they soften their stance, Barcelona would likely need to make a substantial offer to have any chance of signing him.
Another strong candidate is Real Sociedad captain Mikel Oyarzabal, who has impressed with Spain at the World Cup. His intelligent link-up play would suit Hansi Flick’s system, where he would also reunite with several international teammates. Oyarzabal is enjoying one of the best periods of his career and knows La Liga inside out. He could reportedly be available for around €75 million ($86 million), although Barcelona would hope to negotiate that figure down. Whether the lifelong Real Sociedad captain would be willing to leave remains another significant question.
A younger, higher-risk but potentially higher-reward option is Bournemouth striker Junior Kroupi. At just 19, he is attracting interest from several of Europe’s biggest clubs, with Deco having monitored his progress for some time. The French forward scored 13 Premier League goals in 33 appearances last season and is regarded as one of the game’s brightest young prospects. His excellent campaign has driven up his market value, but Barcelona have no intention of entering a bidding war for his signature.
Dušan Vlahović also remains on the club’s shortlist. Barcelona considered the Juventus striker previously, but the club now favours a different type of forward: not simply a penalty-box finisher, but someone who contributes in the build-up, presses effectively and links play. Vlahović has decided not to renew his contract with Juventus and is expected to attract multiple offers, although he is reportedly willing to wait to see whether Barcelona make a move. Any deal, however, would require the Serbian to significantly reduce his salary demands.
The dream signing would be to replicate the success of Lewandowski’s move from Bayern Munich by bringing in Harry Kane. Despite turning 32, the England captain continues to produce extraordinary numbers, scoring 61 goals in 51 competitive appearances last season. Bayern have no intention of selling him and are instead keen to extend his contract. Unlike Lewandowski when he left Germany, Kane is not actively looking for a new challenge. Barcelona believe he would make an immediate impact, but both the transfer fee and his wages place such a move well beyond the club’s reach.
These are some of the names, alongside others that have yet to emerge publicly, making up Barcelona’s contingency plans should the pursuit of Julián Álvarez fail. Flick and the club’s sporting department are determined not to reach the end of the transfer window without signing a new centre-forward. The countdown for Deco has begun.
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