Barcelona are facing a genuine crisis in the out-and-out striker position just 10 days before the start of La Liga and three weeks before the close of the summer transfer window.
According to the Spanish newspaper "As", the Catalan club have staked everything since last January on signing Argentine Julian Alvarez. Should the deal collapse in the face of Atletico Madrid's determination to keep him by any means, the team will be left in an extremely complicated position. Ferran Torres is all but confirmed for Paris Saint-Germain and Robert Lewandowski has moved to Chicago Fire.
This runs counter to everything coach Hansi Flick wanted before the summer began. He had asked for attacking reinforcements, and although sporting director Deco tied up deals for Gordon and Ademi in two swift moves, the pair scored fewer than 30 goals between them last season. That is a modest return next to the 40 goals of Ferran Torres and Robert Lewandowski, plus the 14 from Marcus Rashford, whose loan ended without extension.
Flick fundamentally needs a striker who can guarantee more than 30 goals. Among the alternatives put forward, Benfica's Greek striker Vangelis Pavlidis was the only one to reach that figure last year, though the Portuguese league ranks below the major European competitions. Georges Mikautadze, the Georgian admired by Deco for his dynamism and mobility, scored only 16 with Villarreal.
Lautaro Martinez, one of Europe's most prominent strikers in recent years, came close with 27 goals. His market value of 85 million euros, according to specialist website "Transfermarkt", makes any move impossible, and Inter Milan have ruled out selling.
Mikel Oyarzabal presents the same problem. His signing looks almost impossible for sentimental reasons, despite 18 goals for Real Sociedad and 14 for the Spain national team last season, proof he can deliver at Europe's elite clubs.
Deco carries plenty of credit thanks to his strategic dealings over the last three seasons, which reflect his sharp reading of the first team's needs: Dani Olmo in 2024-2025, Joan Garcia in 2025-2026, and Rodri should his deal be confirmed for 2026-2027. He has also succeeded with temporary deals such as Marcus Rashford and Joao Cancelo, and emergency solutions such as Wojciech Szczesny.
Do not rule out another masterstroke from Barcelona's sporting director, one prepared in secret for months. The club's official data confirms Julian Alvarez was Barca's first target. Should "the Spider" fail to arrive, a state of emergency will kick in and the demands of other clubs will climb, leaving Deco to face, without doubt, one of the biggest challenges since he took up his role in Barcelona's management.