Revealed: Barcelona's two options to replace Robert Lewandowski as Hansi Flick's side step up search for successor

Lewandowski has excelled since moving to Barcelona from Bayern Munich in 2022, netting 78 goals in 119 league appearances. However, the Polish hitman has struggled due to injury this season, which has restricted the striker to just eight league starts.

While some wish to retain Lewandowski's services, the forward having scored nine goals across 812 minutes of action, the likelihood is that the Poland international departs the Liga giants once his Barcelona contract ends later this year. And the Spanish giants have identified two striker targets to take on the number nine shirt once the former Bayern and Borussia Dortmund forward departs, according to ESPN.

Current Barcelona president Joan Laporta, who is up for re-election in March, is supposedly "still dreaming" of signing Julian Alvarez this summer. The Argentine has long been linked with a move to the defending champions, but a deal to sign the Atletico Madrid forward is expected to be complicated with the Madrid giants likely to demand upwards of €100m (£86m) to cash in on Alvarez.

The 25-year-old has also flattered to deceive for Atleti this season having scored just seven times in Spain's top tier this term. Additionally, Barcelona would face competition from Premier League leaders Arsenal should Los Colchoneros entertain a summer sale.

Sporting director Deco, meanwhile, is assessing lower cost options, with Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic emerging as a standout candidate to take over the striker mantle from Lewandowski. Vlahovic was expected to leave the Old Lady in the January window, but pulled up with an adductor injury in November, which has ruled the Serbian forward out until March.

Vlahovic was linked with a move to Barcelona back in 2022 before leaving Fiorentina for Juventus. The 25-year-old's current contract expires at the end of the season and he is free to sign a pre-contract with overseas sides.

The Serbia international has struggled to match expectations since move to Juventus in 2022, and has scored just three league goals this season. Barcelona aren't the only side interested in Vlahovic, with Premier League pair Tottenham and Chelsea also monitoring the Juventus star. AC Milan, too, have been credited with an interest in Vlahovic with the Rossoneri hoping to keep the frontman in Italy.

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Barcelona returned to winning ways, and in the process the top of the table in Spain, as they eased past Real Oviedo on home turf on Sunday night. Second half goals from Dani Olmo, Raphinha and Lamine Yamal saw the Blaugrana claim a 3-0 win over Guillermo Almada's newly-promoted side to leapfrog Real Madrid to the top of the table as they bounced back from last week's 2-1 loss at Real Sociedad.

Los Blancos had briefly gone top as they beat Villarreal 2-0 on Saturday courtesy of a Kylian Mbappe brace. The Frenchman is now seven goals clear in the race to land the Pichichi Trophy having struck 21 times in La Liga this season.

Barcelona are next in action on Wednesday night as they round off their Champions League campaign with a visit from Danish side FC Copenhagen. Hansi Flick's side occupy a playoff spot in Europe's elite club competition but are level on points with sixth-placed PSG and two points off Real Madrid and Liverpool in third and fourth, respectively.

And Barcelona see out January with a league trip to Elche this weekend as they aim to maintain their title push. The Blaugrana have won each of their last five trips to Elche, including a 4-0 win on their most recent visit to the Martinez Valero back in 2023.