News from Argentina: Alvarez to sign for Barcelona

Robert Lewandowski is already in the latter stages of his career, and it’s no secret that Barcelona are considering who could replace him once the Pole definitively loses his edge. It’s also no secret that Dušan Vlahović would gladly move to Camp Nou this August, when his contract with Juventus expires. But in Argentina, they claim that Barca’s new “number nine” will be Julian Alvarez. The report comes from Radio La Red, specifically journalist Hugo Balassone, who is regarded as a reliable source, although this particular story raises plenty of question marks.

According to his information, Julian Alvarez will play for Barcelona. There was interest from Arsenal, but his time at Atletico Madrid is certainly over, claims the journalist.

“This hasn’t been an ideal season for him, even though he’s scored goals. He wants to join a team capable of fighting for titles. His motivation is to go to a club that can become champion. Atletico can win the Copa del Rey, but that’s not the step he expected. So, after the World Cup, Julian Alvarez will play for one of the best teams in the world. Can you imagine an attack with Lamine Yamal and Julian Alvarez?” Balassone said.

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Surely this sounds powerful, but what about Barcelona‘s well documented spending power, or to be precise, the lack of it? Back in January, when Arsenal were first linked with the Argentine striker, reports suggested Atletico wouldn’t even consider a sale for less than 100 million euros, especially given that Alvarez is under contract until 2030. This season he has already scored 13 goals and provided six assists; last season he registered 29 goals and eight assists. There’s no doubt about his quality — at 26, Alvarez is one of Europe’s most sought-after forwards.

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The issue is the price. Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu left the club’s finances in disarray, and since Joan Laporta returned in 2021, he has largely focused on stabilizing the books. The club has won trophies — but largely thanks to the productivity of La Masia. On the transfer market, however, Barca have struggled to compete for the most expensive names. Since 2021, no Barcelona signing has cost more than the 58 million euros paid for Raphinha. The Brazilian turned out to be an excellent investment, but when he arrived from Leeds, he wasn’t considered elite tier. Lewandowski was world-class, but he was already 34, and Bayern were happy with 45 million euros. Ferran Torres was a rotation player at Manchester City. Sergio Aguero, Hector Bellerín, Franck Kessie, and Memphis Depay arrived as free agents. Dani Olmo, later on, was a top talent — but also a product of Barcelona’s academy who wanted to return.

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And whatever is said in Catalonia, the fact that Barcelona spent just 27.5 million on reinforcements this season clearly shows they haven’t fully emerged from their financial bubble. Or were they simply saving up for Alvarez? It would surprise many, but perhaps it’s not entirely coincidental that in the past two days Barcelona defenders Ronald Araujo and Pau Cubarsí publicly praised him. If Alvarez were to be swayed by such admiration and push for a move to Camp Nou? Unlikely — but in football, nothing is impossible.

La Liga Round 25

Friday

23.00: (1.75) Ath.Bilbao (3.60) Elche (4.90)

Saturday

16.00: (1.50) Sociedad (4.30) Oviedo (7.75)

18.15: (1.92) Betis (3.50) Rayo Vallecano (4.10)

20.30: (5.00) Osasuna (4.10) Real Madrid (1.70)

23.00: (1.50) Atl.Madrid (4.20) Espanyol (6.75)

Sunday

16.00: (2.50) Getafe (2.85) Sevilla (3.40)

18.15: (1.12) Barcelona (12.0) Levante (19.0)

20.30: (1.85) Celta (3.60) Mallorca (4.80)

23.00: (1.75) Villareal (3.85) Valencia (5.00)

Monday

23.00: (2.40) Alaves (3.05) Girona (3.50)

* odds are subject to change