Barcelona Targets Álvarez as Lewandowski Exit Opens No. 9 Search

FC Barcelona has launched a multi-tiered scouting operation across Europe after veteran forward Robert Lewandowski left for Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire. The club is seeking a long-term successor at center-forward, with the departure opening a primary focal point in its front line.

Hansi Flick, who took charge at Camp Nou in May 2024 after Xavi Hernández’s departure, currently lacks a natural, elite-level No. 9 to anchor his tactical system. In the interim, Brazilian winger Raphinha has assumed expanded attacking responsibilities across several forward positions after joining Barcelona from Leeds United in July 2022 in a £55 million transfer.

Argentine international Julián Álvarez sits at the top of Barcelona’s recruitment list. According to reports from talkSPORT, the 25-year-old has become the leading candidate for the Spanish champions after completing a high-profile move from Manchester City to Atlético Madrid in August 2024 in a deal worth up to €95 million ($104 million).

Barcelona’s technical staff considers the World Cup-winning forward a tactical fit for Flick’s pressing system because of his mobility, work rate, and positional intelligence between the lines. Lewandowski joined Barcelona from Bayern Munich in July 2022 for €45 million and won the Pichichi Trophy as La Liga’s top scorer during his first season at the club.

The club is also tracking England captain Harry Kane’s contract situation at Bayern Munich. Kane moved to the German club from Tottenham Hotspur in August 2023 for a fee exceeding €100 million and signed an agreement running through June 2027. He finished as Europe’s top scorer in the 2023–24 season with 36 Bundesliga goals.

Kane is currently expected to remain at the Allianz Arena, although Barcelona continues to monitor his agreement if negotiations stall. The club’s broader long-term watchlist also includes Erling Haaland, who joined Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in July 2022 for €60 million and is contracted at the Etihad Stadium through June 2027.

Haaland won consecutive Premier League Golden Boots in his first two seasons in England, scoring 36 league goals in 2022–23 and 27 in 2023–24. Barcelona’s target board includes the Norwegian international as part of its long-term planning, while an immediate approach remains constrained by his fixed role at Manchester City.

Other players discussed internally include Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus and Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon. Barcelona’s primary directive, however, remains the acquisition of a dedicated central striker rather than converting more wide players.

The search is unfolding under La Liga’s strict financial fair play rules and salary-cap restrictions, which have governed Barcelona’s transfer activity since 2021. Lewandowski’s departure from the payroll has cleared room under the league’s wage limits, giving the club flexibility to build a structured approach ahead of upcoming transfer windows.