On August 25, Beijing time (CEST), The Athletic released the 13th edition of "Transfer Deal Briefing" for the summer 2026 transfer window, analyzing Barcelona's situation.

If they cannot sign Alvarez, will Barcelona change their plans?

According to Deco, Barcelona is expected to recruit a new striker before the transfer window closes. When Deco made that statement, Barcelona was already pessimistic about signing Alvarez, as they have not received signals from Atlético Madrid showing willingness to soften their stance and negotiate, which has further diminished their hopes of Alvarez joining.

However, this does not mean Barcelona will give up on him, especially after Alvarez was booed by his own fans during Atlético Madrid's match against Villarreal at Wanda Metropolitano on Sunday. Barcelona, and Flick in particular, are willing to wait until after the transfer window closes to sign Alvarez.

If there are any signs of a negotiating opportunity, they will not hesitate to seize it. Club insiders believe that if Barcelona cannot sign Alvarez, they will likely not recruit another new striker, as there are few other options who can satisfy all decision-makers and strengthen the team's current squad.

Besides Alvarez, it is currently unclear who Barcelona would prefer to fill the center-forward position. Club sources have mentioned Lautaro Martinez, stating that he is also one of the candidates being monitored and admired by Barcelona, but he is clearly not under Barcelona's consideration.

Deco has previously looked at players like Osimhen and Marmoush, but neither has fully convinced all of the club's decision-makers. Some media have reported that Trezeguet is one of Barcelona's potential transfer targets, but there is currently no indication that Barcelona has taken any action. Gyökeres has also been linked with Barcelona, but he is not the most favored player by Barcelona's senior management.

Which positions and players are they targeting?

Barcelona's most urgent need is to bring in a number nine before the transfer window closes. However, there may still be room for the team to sign another player. If Balde eventually leaves the club, Barcelona may bring in another defender in the transfer market. Although it may sound somewhat surprising, they will likely sign a left-footed center-back.

Club insiders believe that the current squad lacks a specialist left-footed center-back, with only Gerard Martín, who is also a left-back. Araújo has departed, and signing a new center-back would allow Cancelo and Gerard Martín to play as left-back, supported by Esparta and Jordi Pascual.

The club has been monitoring RB Leipzig defender Lukeba as a potential transfer target. It is understood that Flick highly values this 23-year-old player, who can play as both center-back and left-back. However, there are still many variables in the transfer process, and Balde's departure is a prerequisite for this deal to make substantial progress.

Which players might leave?

Balde is currently the most closely watched player in the transfer market. Club sources revealed that Balde was told at the beginning of the transfer window that he would be Cancelo's backup in the new season and would need to fight for his position. This warning did not discourage Balde, who remains confident that he should stay.

Sources close to Balde acknowledge that he may leave the club, but they believe this situation should have been resolved earlier in the summer, and now they are racing against time to find the best solution. Besides Balde, Barcelona also hope to sell Casadó and Héctor Fort. Both players have not been given first-team squad numbers and have been told to find new clubs.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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