After Barcelona’s 3-1 win over Atlético Madrid. Barcelona has currently made a decision to put the transfer plan for Alvarez on hold temporarily. The club is not convinced by the Argentine forward’s performance in the recent Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid match at Camp Nou, believing he is not a priority target for the forward line signing next season nor a long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski.
Despite the 25-year-old Alvarez once attracting Barcelona’s attention with his vitality and unique technical attributes – his impressive performance at the 2022 Qatar World Cup and standout displays during his time at Atletico Madrid left a deep impression – he does not match Barcelona’s current specific requirements for a forward.
Barcelona prefers to target a player model like Rafinha: one with innate goalscoring ability, a diligent playing attitude, and a strong desire to win. Although such players are relatively scarce in the market, the club will firmly continue to search in this direction for suitable signings.
In addition, Alvarez’s price tag is also a key consideration for Barcelona. His release clause is as high as €500 million, and Atletico’s reserve price will not be less than €200 million – an amount Barcelona is clearly unwilling to invest in the Argentine forward. Currently, Yamal is the Blaugrana’s attacking core, and signings for other forward positions will supplement and complement around him.
Barcelona is aware that the 37-year-old Lewandowski does need a suitable successor, but this does not mean the club will sign a player at all costs. Ferran Torres has already proven his worth in this position, so the club will look more cautiously for goalscorers who can truly enhance the overall level of the team’s forward line.
