Barcelona under siege: Europe's giants shatter Flick's transfer market dreams

Analyse the previous names and only four players emerge with a direct link to Barcelona. Julian Alvarez tops the list. He is Hansi Flick's main target to fill the void left by Robert Lewandowski's departure, but Atletico Madrid are digging in their heels over any deal.

Vesnik Aslani offers Barcelona a second option should the Alvarez pursuit collapse. Leipzig want him too, and that makes raising the financial bid anything but straightforward.

Least likely of the lot is Junior Kroupi. The management remain split over signing him, though Flick has given his approval so far.

Ferran Torres completes the quartet. He is yet to renew despite entering his final year at Spotify Camp Nou, and his future could hinge on whether Barcelona land Alvarez.

Most of the major clubs are chasing new deals this summer as a luxury, adding strength in specific positions. Take Paris Saint-Germain. They won't suffer at all after the collapse of the Diomande deal, and even if they fail to land Ferran Torres in the closing days of the window, the first-choice and back-up names available to Luis Enrique let him compete for both the French league and the UEFA Champions League.

Rodri's link with Real Madrid tells the same story. The Manchester City star would add huge value, yet Los Blancos already have Tchouaméni to play the same role, plus the option of deploying Eduardo Camavinga in similar positions.

Arsenal are battling Barcelona for the Álvarez deal, but they can also call on Viktor Gyökeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, the names that carried the Gunners to the Premier League title and the UEFA Champions League final.

Barcelona's situation is different. They are searching for a key piece they cannot enter the new season without, one crucial to competing in the Spanish league and chasing that elusive Champions League dream. Barça also lack the financial muscle to outbid a Premier League club for a target.

Reports suggest Álvarez is the only name on Barcelona's radar who would walk straight into the starting XI at the Spotify Camp Nou. Aslani and Kruopis, by contrast, would have to earn trust after pulling on the Barça shirt, especially as neither has shone with a major club or national team.

Real Madrid have become just as awkward an obstacle for Barcelona as Atletico Madrid in the race to sign Alvarez, and it comes after Los Blancos dragged their historic rivals into the equation with a 150 million euro offer for the Argentine striker.

Florentino Perez knew the bid would be rejected. But by tabling it, Real Madrid's president slammed the door on Atletico accepting any Barcelona offer below 150 million euros.

A domino effect now links the Alvarez deal to Vinicius Junior's future at the Bernabeu. Should the Brazilian winger move to Arsenal, the Gunners would drop out of their tussle with Barca.

Picturing Real Madrid letting Vinicius leave this summer is another matter entirely. Keep him, and Arsenal only tighten their grip on Barcelona in the financial battle for Alvarez.

Barcelona carry terrifying memories of the deals Paris Saint-Germain have pulled off from their ranks. The nightmare of Neymar da Silva remains fresh. Then there is Ousmane Dembélé, whose move to the "Parc des Princes" proved a major turning point in his career.

Unwilling to risk losing Ferran Torres for free next January, Barcelona may well sanction his switch to Paris Saint-Germain. The good relationship between the forward and Luis Enrique only strengthens the case, and Torres himself fears he could become a marginalised option in the new season.

All of this means Barcelona cannot yet guarantee entering the new season with a top-class striker like Álvarez. They cannot even bank on the risk of a lower-quality option like Ferran Torres.