Barcelona and Hansi Flick are pushing for a rival side raid this summer ahead of Robert Lewandowski's departure.
Barcelona are on track to retain their La Liga title, now 11 points clear of second-placed Real Madrid with just five games left to play.
Lewandowski, who has netted 12 goals in 26 games this season, was Barcelona’s most prolific domestic goalscorer for three consecutive seasons from 2022 to 2025.
Hansi Flick pushes for rival side signing to combat Lewandowski loss
The Poland international will depart from the Camp Nou this summer, and manager Hansi Flick is pushing for an ambitious rival signing heist to replace his bagsman.
Despite the impending arrival of their 2025/26 La Liga crown, Barcelona fell to rivals Atletico Madrid in the Champions League by a 3-2 aggregate score.
According to a report from Fichajes, Hansi Flick has identified Atletico striker Julian Alvarez as the ideal Lewandowski replacement, and will push for his signature this summer.
Earlier this month, Alvarez netted Atletico's first goal in a Champions League quarter-final clash that saw Barcelona exit once more on club football’s biggest stage.
Beyond goalscoring, the Argentine has also registered the fourth most xA in the competition, behind three world-class creative wingers in Lamine Yamal, Michael Olise, and a departing Mohamed Salah set to announce his next club soon.
This combination of talents has seen Julian Alvarez emerge as the preferred candidate to complete a dream trio that will also raise the goalscoring ceilings of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha.
The report expands on another from ESPN which stated that Barcelona had made contact with Atletico Madrid to explore the possibility of a transfer, with Alvarez’s potential signing now revealed to be the result of a firm push from Hansi Flick.
Barcelona will wait to hear the terms of any transfer involving the Argentine, but the financial operation already appears complex.
Atletico Madrid have set a staggering asking price of €140 million, which makes the likelihood of a transfer unlikely unless the valuation is lowered.
Barcelona return to La Liga action this weekend — with the potential to mathematically secure the 2025/26 title — against ninth-placed Osasuna.
