Barca's "Number 9" Dilemma

Three weeks ahead of the 2026-27 La Liga opener, Barcelona are still searching for a striker after Robert Lewandowski transferred to MLS.

Barcelona's sporting officials are racing to find a center-forward that fits Hansi Flick's system.

"For me, this is a different world," Robert Lewandowski declared after scoring his first career brace in MLS, leading Chicago Fire to a 2-1 win over Charlotte.

The Lewandowski Void

But in Barcelona, the situation is not exactly positive. After Lewandowski's departure, Barcelona identified strengthening the center-forward position as a top priority this summer. The sports department, with the agreement and approval of coach Hansi Flick, has focused on pursuing Julian Alvarez. The Catalan club sent Atletico Madrid an offer worth 100 million euros (at least according to their own claims), but so far has received no response.

The only thing Barcelona has received is a fierce backlash from Atletico. The Madrid club not only launched a social media campaign and had both CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin and President Enrique Cerezo publicly criticize them, but also filed a complaint with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and FIFA. In the past week, Barcelona has received notice of that complaint. The club's lawyers are studying the file to prepare a response, while the case is still under investigation.

The current situation is exactly as has been revealed. During the World Cup break, Julian Alvarez publicly expressed his desire for Atletico to negotiate a transfer because he believes it's the best solution for all parties. The Argentine striker believes his journey at Atletico has come to an end and wants to fulfill a career dream. Though he didn't mention Barcelona by name, Julian has long harbored a desire to wear the Blaugrana shirt.

However, Atletico has ignored the player's wishes and maintained a firm stance against negotiations. The August 10 deadline could be significant, as that is when Julian Alvarez must return to training with the team. At that point, all attention will focus on the "Spider's" decision, especially since those close to him claim he feels "deceived" by Atletico, as the club previously promised to facilitate negotiations if a suitable offer came in.

Incompatible Additions

Barcelona is trying to appear as if they are monitoring the entire situation with a fairly calm demeanor. The club does not hide its ambition to sign a new center-forward, but also insists it will not do so at any cost. In Barcelona's view, the 100 million euro offer they made for Julian Alvarez was already reasonable. Moreover, Barcelona believes they have strengthened the squad very well this summer with the two signings of Karim Adeyemi and Anthony Gordon.

Both are versatile attacking players rather than just wingers. Adeyemi can play across all three forward positions, while Gordon, though usually operating on the left flank, can also play as a center-forward when needed. Last season, Gordon played 16 matches as a center-forward, scoring 9 goals for Newcastle. In the Champions League alone, he scored 5 goals in 5 appearances as a "number 9," including one against Barcelona in a 1-2 group stage loss.

Barcelona considers that Hansi Flick now possesses a very high-quality attack featuring Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Ferran Torres, along with Adeyemi and Gordon. Additionally, there are two young prospects promoted from the youth ranks: Jesse Bisiwu and Hamza Abdelkarim. Abdelkarim, an 18-year-old striker who just participated in the 2026 World Cup, has been impressing in preseason, scoring both goals in a 2-2 friendly draw with Birmingham City. Though still very young, both can contribute if Flick needs them.

Furthermore, Dani Olmo can also be deployed as a false nine. Barcelona also understands that the current transfer market lacks many top-tier center-forwards capable of filling the void left by Lewandowski. The Polish striker has been one of world football's finest scorers for years, and few players reach that level.

Erling Haaland has no intention of leaving Manchester City, while Harry Kane has also confirmed he wants to stay with Bayern Munich after Barcelona made contact. Sporting director Deco is certainly preparing other options, but at this moment, Barcelona remains patient in waiting for Alvarez. If this deal ultimately doesn't materialize, the Camp Nou side will... wait again.