Barcelona's Striker Search: Top Alternatives After Alvarez Setback

Barcelona’s pursuit of a new No. 9 has hit its first major setback of the summer.

Julian Alvarez, long viewed as the ideal signing to lead the line, is now considered “99% off the table”, with Atletico Madrid refusing to open the door and no sign of a breakthrough on the horizon. The message from the capital is clear: this will not be an easy deal, and Barcelona are being pushed towards the exit.

So the club turns the page. Reluctantly, but necessarily.

Hansi Flick and the sporting department must now choose a different path in a market where true No. 9s are scarce, expensive and fiercely protected. The need remains the same: a striker who brings goals, movement and a new dimension in the final third. The options, though, come with very different risks and price tags.

Here are the five names on the table as Barcelona prepare to move on from Alvarez.

Georges Mikautadze: Deco’s choice, Flick’s doubt

Inside the club, Georges Mikautadze has emerged as one of the more serious alternatives.

The Villarreal forward has a strong ally in Deco. The sporting director is convinced the 25-year-old could give Barcelona something different after a standout 2025/26 campaign: 15 goals, six assists and a season that pushed him firmly into the conversation for a bigger move.

Deco sees value and upside. Flick is not so sure.

The coach is described as unconvinced, not seeing the operation “clearly” at this stage. For a signing of this magnitude, that split matters. Barcelona cannot afford a €70 million decision without full alignment between the bench and the boardroom.

The price is the other heavy weight on the scale. Any deal for Mikautadze is expected to cost at least €70m, a huge outlay for a player the manager does not fully trust yet. Deco’s admiration keeps the idea alive, but Flick’s reservations threaten to kill it.

Viktor Gyokeres: goals, power – and a huge bill

Viktor Gyokeres represents a very different profile.

The Swedish striker is entering his peak years and has built a reputation as one of Europe’s most reliable scorers. He is not just a penalty-box poacher either. He drifts wide, attacks space, carries the ball at pace and can create for others. On paper, that blend of power and mobility fits Flick’s aggressive, direct attacking style.

His name could move higher up Barcelona’s list depending on how Arsenal shape their own attacking plans. If the English club commit elsewhere, a window might open.

But the obstacles are obvious.

There are doubts inside the game about parts of his link-up play at the very highest level, even if his numbers in front of goal are hard to argue with. More than that, the financial package would be enormous. Transfer fee plus salary would place Gyokeres among the most expensive options Barcelona could pursue.

This would not be a slow-burn project. It would be paying big money for immediate impact – and living with the consequences if that impact does not arrive fast enough.

Lautaro Martinez: the dream complicated by Inter

Whenever Barcelona go hunting for a striker, Lautaro Martinez’s name inevitably resurfaces.

The Inter Milan captain has been on the Blaugrana radar for years, and once again the club have tested the waters with an enquiry about his situation. That is as far as it has gone.

Inter have little reason to negotiate. Lautaro is central to their sporting project, a leader on and off the pitch and one of their most decisive players. There is no indication from Milan that they are actively looking to sell, which makes any operation extremely complex from the start.

Sportingly, the fit is obvious. At 28, Lautaro offers proven goals, experience and a track record of delivering in big games. He ticks every competitive box.

Financially and politically, he might be the toughest deal on the entire list. To prise him away, Barcelona would need not just money, but also a major shift in Inter’s stance. Right now, that shift is not in sight.

Victor Osimhen: explosive, elite – and eye-wateringly expensive

If Barcelona want the most explosive option available, they end up staring at Victor Osimhen.

The Nigerian forward remains one of the most coveted strikers in Europe. His speed, power, aerial presence and constant threat in behind make him a nightmare for defenders and a dream for teams that dominate territory and pin opponents back – exactly the kind of environment he would find at Barcelona.

Clubs across Europe have circled, and Saudi Arabia has entered the race with extraordinary money. Recent reports even claimed Galatasaray turned down a €150 million offer from Al-Hilal for the 27-year-old, underlining the financial scale any negotiation would reach. Arsenal have also been linked, underlining his status at the top of the market.

For Barcelona, the question is simple but brutal: is Osimhen worth one of the biggest investments of the current project?

Transfer fee plus wages would require a huge, long-term commitment. Sportingly, he fits the profile of a transformative signing. Economically, he represents the kind of gamble that shapes a club’s trajectory for years.

Nicolo Tresoldi: the wildcard bet on tomorrow

Amid the superstar names, Nicolo Tresoldi stands out as the wildcard.

The 21-year-old German forward at Club Brugge does not yet carry the same global profile as Lautaro, Osimhen or Gyokeres. His numbers and physical tools, though, have put him firmly on Barcelona’s radar, and contacts have already been made.

Tresoldi played 58 games in all competitions in 2025/26 and scored 23 goals – a strong return for a young striker still learning the trade. At 6ft 1in, he brings a solid physical presence, yet there is clear room for development in his game.

His contract runs until 2029, and Brugge value him at around €45-50 million. That is not a bargain-bin fee. It is serious money for a player without experience at the very top level.

The equation is different here. With Tresoldi, Barcelona would be paying for both the present and the future. Less proven than Lautaro or Osimhen, less expensive than an all-in move for a finished article, he sits in the middle ground: a calculated risk on potential, with enough current output to justify the debate.

If Flick and the sporting hierarchy believe his development can accelerate inside a bigger structure, Tresoldi could become a long-term answer rather than a short-term patch.

Alvarez slipping away forces Barcelona into a harder, more nuanced conversation. Do they stretch their finances for a star who must deliver from day one, or back their scouting and coaching to turn a rising talent into the next great No. 9 at Camp Nou?