After saying farewell to Robert Lewandowski at the conclusion of last season, Barcelona are searching for a new centre-forward. Their only current option in that position scored the decisive goal in the World Cup final. Julián Alvarez is set to become the subject of a major Spanish transfer battle this summer. He reportedly wants to depart Atlético Madrid and has attracted interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid, whose £129m offer was firmly turned down in June. Atlético officials have yet to meet Joan Laporta for negotiations at one of Catalonia’s fashionable restaurants, prompting the Barça president to consider alternatives.
Laporta has subsequently shifted his focus towards Bournemouth. Following an excellent debut campaign in English football, Eli Junior Kroupi is believed to be Barcelona’s preferred backup option in attack. Bournemouth maintain that the 20-year-old will not be sold and have reportedly placed a £110m valuation on him, which is increasingly standard for a highly rated young Premier League player. Other prominent European clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal and even Tottenham, are also monitoring him. Chelsea forward João Pedro has been mentioned as Barça’s third choice, although a deal is considered unlikely. Perhaps Danny Welbeck is next on the list.
Remaining with Spurs, Savinho has reportedly taken notice of their considerable transfer spending and is keen to exchange Manchester City’s trophies for the golden cockerel at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Elsewhere, Jack Grealish has not been included in City’s squad for their pre-season trip to Asia, leaving serious uncertainty over the 30-year-old’s future. “For now, he remains here,” new City manager Enzo Maresca said last week, offering little indication of what comes next.
In another developing transfer contest, Crystal Palace are thought to be considering an offer for Lens midfielder Mamadou Sangaré, although they may need to act swiftly. Brentford are reportedly at an advanced stage of discussions over a £41m deal for the 24-year-old Mali international, who could occupy the substantial gap left by Jordan Henderson in their squad. Palace have not paid a transfer fee this summer, with free agent Óscar Mingueza their only arrival to date. Former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu is also training with the Conference League champions as they assess the possibility of signing him for free.
Fulham remain eager to make Gonzalo García their headline acquisition of the summer, but Álvaro Arbeloa’s hopes of reuniting with the Real Madrid striker may be undermined by a reported asking price exceeding £50m. Madrid players Franco Mastantuono and Fran García are also believed to feature among his targets. Álvaro may want to broaden the criteria of his search.
While Barcelona continue their hunt for another striker, their upcoming pre-season opponents have strengthened their own attacking options. Luis Vásquez has completed a move to Birmingham, who will welcome Barça to St Andrew’s on Friday. It promises to be quite the glamorous occasion.
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