Barcelona’s search for a new No 9 – and what it means for Rashford and Lewandowski

Barcelona have a main query to reply this summer time: who must be their long-term central striker?

Robert Lewandowski is broadly anticipated to go away when his contract expires on the finish of the season. The 37-year-old Poland worldwide has been a constant goalscorer for Barca since becoming a member of from Bayern Munich in 2022, with 115 targets in 179 appearances. Who can step as much as fill these boots?

As we’ll see, there are inside choices and targets elsewhere. But, as all the time, these have to be weighed towards Barca’s monetary limitations and who they’ll truly afford.

Here, TheAthletic explains their search for a No 9 — knowledgeable by current conversations with varied well-placed sources, who every requested to stay nameless to guard relationships.

Why do not they need to preserve Lewandowski?

Barca’s plan is to let Lewandowski go on the finish of this season, however it is much from a closed case. Club executives need to see how gamers carry out over the remainder of the season and make a last choice then.

Lewandowski turns 38 in August and Barcelona have loved 4 nice seasons from the Polish striker, however it is solely to assume different gamers have to take over from the veteran within the lengthy affordable time period — significantly along with his contract ending.

He has been concerned much less this season, with 11 of his 22 La Liga appearances coming from the bench. Barca noticed the 25-year-old Ferran Torres as a profile more likely to play a greater position within the membership’s future, and wished to provide the ex-Manchester City man extra sport time as a central striker to ease that succession plan.

But Torres, below contract till 2027, has not precisely set the world alight along with his current performances. Since the autumn, Barca’s recruitment group had it clear of their thoughts that they want to strengthen the assault.

Who has Barcelona acquired in thoughts?

The standout title on the high of sporting director Deco’s wishlist remains to be Atletico Madrid’s Argentina striker Julian Alvarez.

Barcelona senior executives imagine the pool of top-class forwards is restricted, however that they should deal with the place this summer time. Those sources say the Barca strikers have monitored have been separated into totally different tiers of high quality, or how they arrive from they’re at elite stage.

Alvarez is within the high tier together with Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane. But the England captain is an unlikely possibility. Kane had a €65million (£56.5m; $75.6m) launch clause in his contract which needed to be activated earlier than the tip of January, however this can not apply this summer time. Deco just isn’t a large advocate of spending large sums on gamers over the age of 30, which might be the case with the 32-year-old Kane.

Those behind the scenes assume that Barca will attempt to signal Alvarez, and the Catalans imagine the 26-year-old is eager on the prospect of becoming a member of them. Club sources are additionally assured Barca can be in a monetary place to make a affordable supply to Atletico.

However, Atletico are usually not in a place the place they’ll really feel like they should promote. He is below contract till 2030, has been a common in Diego Simeone’s aspect this time period, and has an estimated market worth of €112-130million, in accordance with the CIES Football Observatory.

Despite the actual fact Alvarez just isn’t going via his greatest season, having solely scored one La Liga objective since November final 12 months, Barcelona’s senior decision-makers are nonetheless admirers of his talent set, particularly his relentless urgent and potential to drop off and play between the strains.

No concrete strikes have been made but, and Atletico may nonetheless simply outprice Barca with their calls for, which might make the La Liga champions shift their consideration to different profiles.

Barca have extra names under their ‘high tier’ candidates. That consists of gamers akin to Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen and Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush, each 27. They are simply two of a lengthy checklist of gamers being monitored — and once more, no additional steps have been taken when it comes to discussing a transfer.

What about different choices inside the aspect?

The apparent reply is Torres. The Spain worldwide is an influential voice inside the dressing room and has its peak years forward of him. But is he adequate to be Barcelona’s undisputed No 9?

His current type doesn’t assist your case. He has scored 16 occasions in 35 video games this season, however solely eleven in La Liga because the begin of 2026. Across all competitions, he has scored three targets in his previous 18 appearances for the membership and, on Tuesday night time, supervisor Hansi Flick determined to take him off within the sixty fourth minute of a Copa del Rey semi-final second leg during which Barca desperately needed goals.

Torres additionally finds himself at a essential juncture when it comes to his contract state of affairs. Now into the ultimate 15 months of his deal, he’s the one core member of Barca’s group whose long-term future just isn’t tied down. The membership has but to supply him a renewal.

Barca sources additionally imagine that Dani Olmo may function as a false No 9. They say this is among the concepts that they had in thoughts once they signed the Spain worldwide from RB Leipzig in 2024.

The 27-year-old has not performed there this season, though that is in all probability as a result of Flick has had no possibility however to play him in different positions. The harm disaster his group have suffered has meant Olmo has been wanted in central midfield and on the left wing. Flick has proven no nice urgency to make use of him as a central striker.

You may additionally level to Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford being a participant with the potential to carry out as a No 9, however Flick doesn’t see this as his greatest place. There are not any apparent prospects in La Masia, the membership’s youth academy, in that position.

What does it imply for Rashford?

Ace TheAthletic reported final week, Barcelona have held optimistic talks with Rashford’s camp about making his loan move permanent in the summer.

The membership’s search for a new No 9 doesn’t impression that. Flick is eager on having 5 first-team forwards at his disposal, as Barca have had this season, to have sufficient depth up entrance.

Rashford can also be seen as a extensive ahead fairly than a No 9 by the teaching workers, and Barca need to sign the 28-year-old’s arrival whatever the state of affairs at centre-forward.

Last week, Barca sources indicated they intend to pay the €30million purchase possibility included within the mortgage deal agreed with Manchester United final summer time by paying three €10m installations over three years.

Are elections slowing issues down?

Yes, not less than partially. Barcelona’s presidential elections can be held on March 15, with Joan Laporta up for re-election and the favourite to win the vote.

Club sources say they don’t need to make definitive choices till there may be readability over who would be the new president. The course of has not stopped Deco from holding preliminary talks with Rashford’s camp to debate phrases, for occasion, however they haven’t but progressed additional.

If Laporta wins, Deco will keep and the prevailing sporting plan will stay in place. But the 2 different remaining candidates — fintech entrepreneur Victor Font, who got here second to Laporta in 2021, and monetary advisor Marc Ciria — have each confirmed they’d work with one other sporting director.

What can Barca afford?

That just isn’t totally clear, however Barca executives have mentioned they’re assured they are going to be in a higher place than earlier switch home windows.

“We are €12million away from entering the 1:1 rule in La Liga’s salary limit,” Barca treasurer Ferran Olive informed Cronica Global final week. (*9*)

The “1:1 rule” refers to Barcelona having the ability to spend each euro they offload in salaries to register new signings — a place they haven’t loved prior to now two switch home windows.

This week, La Liga printed its up to date wage limits after the January switch window, with Barcelona’s elevated by €80million. The Catalans are actually allowed to spend €433m on salaries, whereas final summer time their restrict was €351m.

La Liga calculates every membership’s wage restrict in accordance with their income. Over the 2024-25 marketing campaign, Barca’s whole wage invoice was €510m, so they might nonetheless have work to do on that front.