Barcelona's Striker Search: Vangelis Pavlidis Emerges as Key Alternative to Julian Alvarez
Barcelona’s striker hunt has a clear headline act. But the understudy is starting to steal scenes of his own.
According to Spanish outlet AS, Benfica forward Vangelis Pavlidis sits high on a shortlist drawn up by sporting director Deco as Barcelona push, and so far fail, to land their preferred No. 9: Julian Alvarez.
Barcelona blocked in Alvarez chase
Barcelona’s plan is simple in theory: replace Robert Lewandowski, now at Chicago Fire, with a marquee centre-forward who can lead the line for years. In practice, it has turned into a political and financial tangle with Atletico Madrid.
Alvarez is the chosen man. The Argentina international is understood to be keen on trading Atletico for Camp Nou, a move that would instantly reshape Barça’s attack. Atletico, though, have dug in. They are not entertaining a sale and have already turned down an offer from Barcelona worth €100 million, AS reports.
Tension has escalated. The Rojiblancos have allegedly gone as far as filing a complaint to FIFA over Barcelona’s pursuit, which they consider outside the rules. From their perspective, the situation is clear: Alvarez is under contract in Madrid until 2030, and they intend to keep him there.
If that stance does not soften in the coming weeks, Barcelona will be forced into a Plan B. That is where Pavlidis enters the frame.
Pavlidis, the late bloomer on Europe’s radar
On paper, Pavlidis does not have the glamour of Alvarez. On the pitch, his numbers demand attention.
The Greece international joined Benfica from AZ Alkmaar in 2024 and has quietly turned himself into one of Europe’s most reliable finishers. Last season he scored 30 goals and added six assists in 53 matches across all competitions, a return that has pushed him firmly into the view of bigger clubs.
One night in particular will have stayed with Barcelona. In the Champions League league phase, Pavlidis tore through their defence with a first-half hat-trick inside 30 minutes in Benfica’s wild 5-4 defeat to the Catalans. The result went Barça’s way. The impression made by the striker did not fade.
His route to this level has been anything but straightforward. At 16, Pavlidis left Greece for VfL Bochum, chasing the Bundesliga dream. The breakthrough never came. Bochum loaned him to Borussia Dortmund II and then to Willem II, and it was in the Eredivisie that his career finally caught fire.
Willem II made the move permanent. From there, consistent performances and a growing goal tally earned him a transfer to AZ Alkmaar in 2021 for what now looks like a bargain €2.5 million fee. Season by season, his reputation grew, until Benfica came calling and lifted him into the Champions League spotlight.
Benfica’s new cornerstone
Tempting Pavlidis away from Lisbon will not be easy. AS reports that Benfica have little interest in selling, and the striker is tied to the club until 2029. The contract length alone gives the Portuguese side a strong hand.
New head coach Marco Silva, who replaced Jose Mourinho after the latter’s move to Real Madrid, has quickly identified Pavlidis as central to his plans. The forward underlined that status in emphatic fashion on Thursday.
Facing St. Gallen in the second leg of the second round of Europa League qualifying, Benfica needed a response after losing the first leg 2-1 in Switzerland. Pavlidis supplied it almost single-handedly. He scored the first four goals in a 5-0 win, ripping through the Swiss defence and turning the tie on its head as Benfica surged into the third qualifying round.
Heart of Midlothian of Scotland now stand between Benfica and the next step in Europe. For Silva, Pavlidis is not just a prolific striker; he is the focal point of a team being reshaped in his image.
For Barcelona, that is the problem. Deco’s list may have Pavlidis near the top as the leading alternative to Alvarez, but prising him away from a club that views him as indispensable, and has him locked in until 2029, will demand serious money and even more persuasion.
So the question lingers over Camp Nou: do they keep pushing at a closed door for Alvarez, or turn fully towards the late-blooming Greek who has made a habit of punishing them on the biggest stage?
