A number nine and no answer
Barcelona have asked about Julian Alvarez all summer. Atletico Madrid keep giving the same reply: €500 million, the release clause, take it or leave it.
So the search has widened. Barcelona are exploring a move for Viktor Gyokeres, according to El Chiringuito via Sport, and the Sweden striker has moved to the front of the alternatives list as the club prepare to address a vacant centre-forward role before 1 September.
Hansi Flick has not given up on Alvarez. The report describes a coach who wants the club to keep pushing for the Argentina international even as the recruitment department works other lines. Those two positions can coexist for another two weeks. After that they cannot.
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Why Gyokeres
Gyokeres joined Arsenal from Sporting and has spent the past year in a squad where the attacking hierarchy shifted around him. His Estimated Transfer Value sits at €54.7m, in a range of €49.2m to €60.2m, which is a tenth of what Atletico are demanding for Alvarez.
He also scored twice for Sweden at the World Cup opener against Tunisia in June, alongside Alexander Isak, in a 5-1 win. That version of Gyokeres is the one Barcelona are buying if they move.
Arsenal have their own complications up front. Gabriel Martinelli is in talks with Napoli, Nico Williams has confirmed he is staying in Spain, and Bradley Barcola carries a Paris Saint-Germain price tag north of €150m. A bid for Gyokeres would arrive in the middle of all that.
Barcelona’s window so far
Anthony Gordon came from Newcastle, Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund and Jesse Bisiwu from Club Brugge. Rodri is next, with a full agreement now struck with Manchester City on an initial €60m plus €16.5m in add-ons, as reported by David Ornstein.
Money has also gone the other way. Ronald Araujo, the club captain, left on loan to Liverpool. Tommy Marques is heading to Braga for €10m.
None of that solves the striker question. Barcelona have rebuilt the midfield and reinforced the wide areas, and the centre of the attack is still the thing they have not fixed.
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