With Robert Lewandowski having played his last game for Barcelona, talk will once again turn to which player will replace him as the focal point of the Catalan club’s attack next season. The rumor mill is already claiming that Barca have €100 million to spend.
Do the Blaugranes stick with a centre-forward in the target man mould, or do they look for a more diminutive No.9, who can also link up play? Perhaps they go for a player who is a mixture of both.
Whoever does garner the most interest certainly
has some big shoes to fill, not least because Hansi Flick will want the club to challenge for all of the major honours once more.
The German coach has already made his feelings cleaar, saying: “We need to look for a 9 who fits our philosophy, but the most important thing is that he scores goals.”
So who will Barca go for?
The Favorite? Julian Alvarez
There’s never really been any secret to Joan Laporta wanting to bring Julian Alvarez to Camp Nou, but the stumbling block will be financial.
Though the club has saved on Lewy’s salary, the Argentinian World Cup winner won’t come cheap, and with other areas of the squad also needing to be strengthened, can Barca really potentially blow their whole transfer budget on Alvarez?
He would be a solid addition, of course. A player who already knows the league, and who is far better suited in terms of general play to Barca than Atletico Madrid.
Not just a goalscorer but a goal creator, too, the Spanish press is convinced he is Barca’s top target this summer.
The Dream – Harry Kane
Europe’s most feared marksman on current form, coming off the back of a 61-goal season with Bayern Munich.
Harry Kane has proven beyond any doubt at all that he has what it takes to succeed at the very highest level, and in order to even tempt him to move from Bavaria, Barca would need to come up with a sensational package that would be too difficult to turn down.
Given the similar playing style to Lewandowski, Flick could just do a like-for-like swap, and the gameplay remains as it has for the past few years, with everyone knowing exactly the areas that Kane patrols in order to get the best out of him.
Yet it’s another deal that will be incredibly difficult to do. Kane keeps on saying he wants to stay and Bayern are in no mood to sell.
The Most Realistic? Joao Pedro
With no European football at all for Chelsea next season, and the West Londoners once again in disarray, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Joao Pedro moved on, even if early indications are that the Blues board believe him to be one of their ‘untouchables.’
A hybrid of both of the aforementioned strikers, his signing would certainly be an interesting one. This is a rumor that’s hotting up as well, with the latest updates claiming Deco has headed out to London again to talk about a potential transfer.
Whether Chelsea would want to sell their player of the season is another question entirely, but there’s certainly merit in testing the water for the Brazilian’s services.
Which striker would you prefer to see Barcelona sign to replace Lewandowski? Tell us in the comments below!
