Barcelona’s search for a complete number nine becomes a race against time

Barcelona are facing an increasingly difficult attacking decision as the summer transfer window approaches its deadline, with the club searching for a striker capable of scoring, creating chances, pressing aggressively and moving intelligently both inside and outside the penalty area.

That combination of qualities has made finding a suitable replacement for Julian Alvarez particularly challenging.

Barcelona’s hopes of signing the Atletico de Madrid forward appear remote. Atletico remain determined to keep him and value the player at up to 200m euros, leaving the Catalan club with a difficult financial and sporting problem.

The need for a striker has become more urgent after Robert Lewandowski joined Chicago Fire following the expiry of his contract, while Ferran Torres was allowed to move to Paris Saint-Germain for 50m euros.

Barcelona have already signed Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United for 70m euros and Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund for 22m euros. However, the club still require an out-and-out striker and possibly another attacking player before the transfer window closes.

Failure to act quickly could leave head coach Hansi Flick relying on an academy player, an emerging teenager or a winger deployed temporarily as a centre-forward until January. That would be far from ideal for a team attempting to retain the La Liga title for a third consecutive season.

Flick’s requirements are clear. Barcelona need a forward who can score consistently. Lewandowski and Torres shared the central striking role last season and scored 30 La Liga goals between them.

With Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo and Raphinha also providing significant goal threat, Barcelona do not necessarily need one player to score 30 goals alone. But their new striker must be capable of making a substantial contribution, with at least 15 goals and assists expected over the course of the campaign.

Goals are only part of the requirement. Flick wants a forward who can create opportunities, combine with midfielders, draw defenders away to open space for team-mates, dribble effectively and operate between the lines.

The third quality, and potentially the most important, is the ability to press and run at high speed. Flick’s approach is built around immediate pressure after possession is lost and a high defensive line, making a forward who can lead the press from the front essential.

Lewandowski’s departure, at the age of 37, gives the German coach an opportunity to develop that aspect of the team further. The arrivals of Gordon and Adeyemi also underline Barcelona’s priorities: pace, movement and pressing are central to the club’s new project rather than optional additions.

Alvarez appears to possess almost all of those characteristics, as well as being a specialist at set-pieces. The problem for Barcelona is that securing his signature currently looks almost impossible.

The established options

If Alvarez is ruled out, Mikel Oyarzabal may be the most logical alternative. The Real Sociedad forward has been a key figure for Spain during their recent golden era and already understands several Barcelona players, including Yamal, Pedri and Olmo, after working with them for many years in the national team.

Oyarzabal offers goals, creativity and intelligent pressing. Last season he scored 15 times in 30 La Liga starts, demonstrating the kind of attacking return Barcelona are looking for.

There are, however, significant doubts over the deal. Oyarzabal is 29 and Real Sociedad would be unlikely to consider selling him for much less than the 75m-euro release clause in his contract. He has also spent his entire career with the Basque club, raising questions over whether he would want to take on a major new challenge at this stage of his career.

Lautaro Martinez is another player whose qualities would appeal to Barcelona. The Inter Milan forward has been regarded as one of Europe’s leading supporting strikers for several years and is accustomed to scoring more than 20 goals in all competitions. He presents a threat both in and around the penalty area.

His usual role, though, raises tactical questions. Martinez has rarely operated as Inter’s lone striker, with the Italian side often pairing him with a forward such as Marcus Thuram or Edin Dzeko. That arrangement allows Martinez greater freedom to move while his partner performs more of a focal-point role.

In possession, the Argentina international could offer an intriguing blend of striker and attacking midfielder. His work without the ball and ability to sustain an intense press are less certain, though, making a move into Flick’s system a different challenge for a 28-year-old whose style has developed over a long period.

Omar Marmoush would also have suited Barcelona’s search. The Egypt international can play as a central striker, possesses considerable technical ability and combines pace, pressing and finishing, according to ESPN.

But reports indicate Marmoush is in advanced negotiations with Tottenham Hotspur, making a move to Barcelona difficult at present.

Looking beyond the biggest names

The financial demands attached to established forwards at major European clubs mean Barcelona may need to widen their search and identify a less prominent player with a similar profile to Alvarez.

Using data from Gradient Sports, a number of performance indicators associated with Alvarez can be compared to find players with comparable characteristics. Georges Mikautadze emerges as one of the more interesting possibilities.

The Georgia forward moved between Metz, Lyon and Villarreal over a two-year period, while his impressive performances for his country at Euro 2024 significantly increased his reputation.

In his first La Liga season, Georges Mikautadze produced encouraging numbers, scoring 13 goals and supplying six assists in slightly more than 2,000 minutes.

His strengths extend beyond finishing. He is effective with his touches inside the box, can create chances and regularly finds useful positions in space. His increased profile has also affected his price, with the release clause in his contract rising from 60m euros to 76m euros in mid-August.

That figure puts him close to Oyarzabal’s cost, but Mikautadze is only 25 and still has room to improve, giving him greater potential long-term value.

Sebastiano Esposito represents a different kind of gamble. The former Inter Milan player was regarded for years as a promising talent, but his development was disrupted by eight loan spells. A permanent move to Cagliari could now offer him the chance to establish himself.

Last season Esposito developed into a forward more inclined to create play within a front two. He scored seven goals and made five assists in Serie A. His ability to drop deep to receive possession, turn and drive forward or play passes into space reflects some elements of Alvarez’s game.

There is also an off-field issue Barcelona would need to assess. Cagliari disciplined Esposito this summer after he missed pre-season without permission during a contractual dispute. Technical similarity alone would not be enough to justify a deal of this scale.

If Barcelona are willing to take a greater risk, younger players could provide an investment for the future.

Nicolo Tresoldi, 22, has attracted scouting interest for some time because of his performances for Club Brugge. Despite the Belgian club losing winger Christos Tzolis to Arsenal for 40m euros, Tresoldi remains highly regarded for his finishing instinct, ability to protect the ball under pressure and willingness to bring team-mates into play.

Matias Fernandez-Pardo, 21, made a bigger impression during 2026 after playing an important role for Lille and subsequently being included in Belgium’s World Cup squad.

He began his career as a winger but moved into the striker position after an injury crisis affected his team. The experiment highlighted his outstanding pace and ability to exploit space in counter-attacks, particularly away from home.

Fernandez-Pardo still needs to improve against compact defences and in crowded areas, but his physical qualities, speed and movement off the ball appear theoretically well suited to Flick’s approach. Atletico de Madrid’s interest in him may not have been accidental, with the club perhaps viewing him as a future version of Alvarez.

The boldest option would be Hamza Abdelkarim. The 18-year-old forward joined Barcelona’s youth team on loan from Egyptian club Al Ahly in February before completing a permanent move this summer for 1.5m euros.

He was given an extended opportunity with the first team during pre-season, partly because of Barcelona’s limited attacking options and partly because his performances convinced the coaching staff to continue using him.

Abdelkarim scored four goals during the preparation period and received praise from people within the club as well as Spanish media outlets. Those displays have made him a candidate for inclusion in the first-team squad next season.

Making him the main answer to Barcelona’s attacking problem would nevertheless be a huge risk. His talent and potential are clear, but asking an 18-year-old to lead the club’s attack for an entire season would be an extremely demanding decision.

Barcelona therefore face a choice between paying a substantial fee for an established forward or gambling on a less familiar player who can come close to Alvarez’s unusual combination of qualities.

Oyarzabal appears the safest option, while Martinez offers elite quality alongside tactical questions. Marmoush would fit the requirements but seems closer to Tottenham. Mikautadze and Esposito offer more uncertain solutions, Tresoldi and Fernandez-Pardo represent longer-term investments, and Abdelkarim could become the season’s surprise package.

What appears certain is that leaving the striker position without a genuine reinforcement until January would be the greatest risk of all for a Barcelona side aiming to compete for every available trophy.