'He's fantastic and can adapt' - Hansi Flick continues experimenting with Lamine Yamal at No.9 as Barcelona seek 'killer'

The landscape of the Blaugrana attack has shifted dramatically this summer; Robert Lewandowski departed at the start of the window for a new adventure in Major League Soccer, while Ferran Torres has completed a high-profile move to Paris Saint-Germain, these exits have left a significant void at the tip of the spear.

Much has been said about Lamine Yamal’s natural tendency to eventually transition into the team’s lead striker, perhaps evolving into a 'false nine' in the same vein as Lionel Messi. The legendary Argentine famously moved away from the right wing as the years progressed to become an all-time historic goalscorer through the middle.

For now, the Rocafonda native remains most comfortable on the right flank, but Flick’s public stance on the teenager's positioning has noticeably softened over the last few weeks.

The tactical shift isn't just theoretical; it is already being put into practice behind closed doors at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. In footage recently released by the club from one of their typical training ground matches, Yamal was seen operating and scoring from a central number nine position.

The goal was a showcase of his technical ceiling, involving a double wall-pass, a sharp control with his right foot, and a clinical finish with his magical left. In this specific setup, Anthony Gordon was deployed on the left wing while Karim Adeyemi occupied the right.

Yamal returned from his post-World Cup holidays this Wednesday, and the expectations are that he will be integrated quickly into the matchday squad. There is a possibility he could see minutes in the upcoming friendly in Basel, and observers will be keen to see if he is deployed in this new 'false nine' experimental role.

Yamal is not the only player being asked to show versatility in the absence of a traditional number nine. Both Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi are intimately familiar with the central role, having played there previously for Newcastle United and Borussia Dortmund respectively. While they, like Yamal, are generally considered to be at their most effective when starting on the wings, Flick is confident they can provide cover in the middle.

Gordon and Adeyemi have already logged several days of intensive training, particularly the German, who was not part of the World Cup squad following a controversial decision by former national team coach Julian Nagelsmann. This extra time on the training pitch has allowed them to digest Flick’s tactical demands more thoroughly than the late-returning Yamal.

Despite the successful experiments and the glowing praise for his current attackers, Hansi Flick’s ultimate goal remains the acquisition of a "pure and differential" centre-forward to lead his project.

Julian Alvarez remains the top choice for the Barcelona hierarchy because of his unique combination of relentless pressing, defensive work rate, and elite finishing ability. Flick has been vocal about the need for reinforcements in this specific area of the pitch to ensure the team can compete on all fronts.

The pursuit of Alvarez is seen as the final piece of the puzzle for a Barcelona side that has undergone significant changes. The club has had to move on from other potential targets, such as Dusan Vlahovic, making the chase for the Atletico man even more critical. Until a deal can be reached, Flick will continue to refine his tactical setup with the "fantastic" Yamal at the heart of it.