Barcelona's No.9 Search: Álvarez Alternatives as Deco Scrambles
Barcelona have stepped back from an immediate move for Julián Álvarez, turning their attention to alternative centre-forward options in the final stretch of the transfer window, sources have told ESPN.
The club have not closed the door on Álvarez. Far from it. A return, even as early as January, remains on the table. But Atlético Madrid’s firm refusal to negotiate for the Argentina international has forced sporting director Deco to redraw his shortlist on the fly.
Flick wants a No.9, the club is split
Hansi Flick has been clear since day one: he wants a recognised No.9 to replace the goals and presence of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres. For the German coach, a pure striker is a non‑negotiable piece of his tactical puzzle.
Inside the club, not everyone agrees.
Some influential voices argue that the squad already carries enough firepower and flexibility to cope without a new centre-forward. They point to the variety of profiles already in the dressing room and the financial strain any major deal would add.
That internal debate has sharpened as the Álvarez pursuit has stalled.
Atlético stand firm on Álvarez
Álvarez has been Barça’s priority target for months. ESPN revealed earlier this year that he sat at the top of the list, and the Spanish champions tested Atlético’s resolve with an offer of around €100 million earlier in the summer.
The answer was blunt: no.
Atlético have maintained the same stance throughout the window. The former Manchester City forward is not available, even after Álvarez publicly told ESPN he wants to leave the club.
Barcelona hoped those comments would crack the door open. They expected at least a softening of Atlético’s position. It has not arrived. According to a source, the Catalan side now accept that, barring a “radical” late twist, the deal is off the table for this month.
So Deco looks elsewhere.
Internal solutions vs market gambles
Flick’s desire for a No.9 remains intact, even if it is not Álvarez leading the line. Others at the club counter that the answer could already be in-house.
Raphinha, Karim Adeyemi, Anthony Gordon and even Lamine Yamal are all seen as options to operate through the middle if needed. None is a classic penalty-box striker, but each offers movement, pace and pressing from central zones.
There are more experimental ideas too. Fermín López and Dani Olmo have both been used as false nines in the past, offering a more fluid, interchangeable front line. The only orthodox centre-forward who has been with the squad in preseason, though, is 18-year-old Egypt international Hamza Abdelkarim, a raw talent rather than an immediate solution.
That contrast – between Flick’s wish for a specialist and the club’s belief in versatility – sits at the heart of Barça’s late-window dilemma.
Targets fall away as time ticks down
Barcelona’s search has already hit several dead ends.
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 the Bournemouth striker is sidelined for up to four months with a foot injury, ruling him out as a short-term fix.
Other names have swirled around the rumour mill in recent weeks. Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martínez and Sporting CP forward Luis Suárez have both been linked, but the financial demands involved in either operation are described as prohibitive for now.
One source says Barça have tracked Benjamin Sesko for years. The admiration is real. The reality is harsher: prising the Manchester United attacker away is currently seen as impossible.
So the net widens again.
Villarreal duo enter the frame
Attention has also turned to Villarreal, where two forwards have caught Barcelona’s eye: Ayoze Pérez and Georges Mikautadze.
Both names have been discussed internally. According to a source, Barça have been particularly impressed by Mikautadze’s data and his performances since arriving in Spain, viewing him as a profile that fits their pressing game and technical demands.
Whether admiration can turn into a concrete move in the few days that remain is another question entirely.
For now, Barcelona stand in a familiar place: a giant of Europe, a coach demanding a No.9, a market that refuses to bend, and a clock that will not stop.
