Barcelona's Striker Search: Options and Challenges
Barcelona’s pursuit of a new No. 9 has hit its first major setback of the summer.
The club’s move for Julian Alvarez, long viewed as the preferred option to lead the line, is now considered “99% off the table”. Atletico Madrid have refused to open the door, and there is no sign of the situation softening. Inside the club, the message is clear: Alvarez will almost certainly not be wearing blaugrana this season.
That leaves Hansi Flick and the sporting department staring at a familiar problem with no easy solution.
They still want a striker. Not just a finisher, but a forward who brings goals, movement and a different attacking angle in the final third. Replacing the profile and upside they saw in Alvarez will be complicated, and the shortlist reflects that tension between ambition, budget and risk.
Five names have moved to the forefront of the discussion.
Georges Mikautadze: Deco’s choice, Flick’s doubt
Georges Mikautadze is one of the names gaining the most traction internally.
The Villarreal striker has strong backing from sporting director Deco, who believes the 2025/26 campaign – 15 goals and six assists – showed a player ready to make the jump. His numbers and all-round performances have reportedly convinced Deco that Mikautadze could bring something different to Barcelona’s attack.
Flick is not there yet.
The coach is said to have reservations over the fit and, at this stage, “does not see it clearly”. For a major signing, that lack of alignment matters. Any operation of this scale needs full sporting consensus, especially when the price is set to be high.
Villarreal would likely demand at least €70 million. That is a huge outlay for a player the head coach is not fully sold on. Deco’s admiration keeps Mikautadze on the table, but the internal disagreement makes this one of the more tangled options.
Viktor Gyokeres: goals now, at a cost
Viktor Gyokeres brings a very different profile.
The Swedish striker is entering his prime and has become one of Europe’s most reliable goalscorers. His situation could evolve depending on Arsenal’s attacking plans, and if a gap appears, Barcelona are watching. Any deal, though, would come at a significant price.
Gyokeres is not just a penalty-box poacher. He drifts wide, attacks open spaces, drives at defenders and can create chances for others. Those traits fit naturally with Flick’s aggressive, vertical style.
There are still questions about whether he can consistently link play at the very highest level, but his goalscoring record is hard to argue with. The real problem lies elsewhere.
To sign Gyokeres, Barcelona would be paying for immediate impact. The transfer fee and salary package would push him towards the top of the club’s wage and investment structure. Among all the options, he is one of the most expensive bets.
Lautaro Martinez: ideal on the pitch, near-impossible off it
Lautaro Martinez’s name returns every time Barcelona search for a striker.
The Inter Milan captain has again been the subject of an enquiry from the Catalan club. That is as far as it has gone. Inter have no incentive to ease his departure and no indication has emerged that they are open to a sale.
Lautaro remains central to Inter’s sporting project and is one of their undisputed leaders. At 28, he still has several elite years ahead of him, with proven goals, experience and a track record of delivering in big games.
From a purely footballing perspective, he would be an outstanding fit for Barcelona’s needs. From a financial and negotiating standpoint, he might be the toughest deal of all. Without a shift in Inter’s stance, the operation looks close to unworkable.
Victor Osimhen: the blockbuster option
If Barcelona want fireworks, Victor Osimhen is the name.
The Nigerian forward continues to attract interest from Europe’s biggest clubs, while Saudi Arabian teams have shown they are willing to go to extreme lengths financially to sign him. Recent reports even claim Galatasaray turned down a €150 million offer from Al-Hilal for the 27-year-old.
Arsenal have been linked with him as well, and the appeal is obvious.
Osimhen offers raw pace, power, aerial dominance and a constant threat in front of goal. His ability to attack space would be lethal in a Barcelona side that often camps in the opposition half and forces teams to defend deep, then leaves gaps to exploit when they try to break out.
The problem is not sporting. It is financial reality.
Any move would demand a huge transfer fee and a top-tier salary. To bring Osimhen in, Barcelona would have to decide if he is worth becoming one of the most expensive pillars of their current project. Right now, that level of commitment looks extremely difficult.
Nicolo Tresoldi: the calculated gamble
Nicolo Tresoldi is the wildcard.
The 21-year-old German forward at Club Brugge does not yet carry the same global weight as the other names on the list, but inside the recruitment department he is viewed as an intriguing mix of profile and potential.
His 2025/26 season underlines why: 58 matches in all competitions, 23 goals. Standing at 6ft 1in, Tresoldi brings a strong physical presence but still has plenty of room to grow and refine his game.
His contract runs until 2029, and Club Brugge value him at around €45–50 million. For a player without extensive experience at the very top level, that remains a serious investment. Barcelona have already made contacts, but they know it would be a gamble.
The nature of that gamble is different, though. Compared with Lautaro, Osimhen or Gyokeres, Barcelona would be buying both potential and immediate output. If Flick and the sporting leadership believe his development curve can stay steep inside a demanding environment, Tresoldi could evolve into a long-term answer to the No. 9 question.
For now, Alvarez is slipping away, and the clock is ticking. The decision that follows will say a lot about what kind of Barcelona Flick and Deco are trying to build – one built on instant star power, or one willing to stake its future on the right risk.
