As Barcelona gear up for a busy 2026, one of their priorities is to sign a new number nine who can emerge as a long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski.
The ageing veteran continues to impress with his goalscoring even at the age of 37, but this could well be his last season at Barcelona.
Keeping that in mind, Barcelona are actively scouring the market for a new striker, with Julian Alvarez emerging as one of the ideal candidates.
Recent reports have indicated that Alvarez, for his part, is ready to join Barcelona after the FIFA World Cup.
Alvarez to cost a fortune
However, signing the Argentine international won’t be straightforward for Barcelona, especially given the situation with Atletico Madrid.
Can Barcelona sign Alvarez this summer? (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
In fact, a recent report from Santi Aouna (h/t FCB World) suggests that Barcelona will have to cough up at least €200 million to secure the services of the attacker.
This does make sense considering the fact that Atletico Madrid themselves paid a fortune to sign Alvarez, who still has a long-term contract at the club.
Indeed, the Argentine’s deal in the Spanish capital does not expire until 2030, with fresh reports adding that Atleti are keen on extending his contract in order to fend off interest from Barcelona.
Keeping that in mind, it is unlikely Barcelona will be able to afford a move for the former Manchester City starlet unless the club are able to secure the exit of at least two or three high-profile players.
The likes of Frenkie de Jong, Marc Casado and Ronald Araujo are some of the potential candidates as the club desperately look to raise fresh funds through player sales.