It's no surprise to anyone that Barça's agenda includes the addition of a new forward for the upcoming season. Both Joan Laporta and Deco have been working tirelessly on the arrival of an striker who not only competes with Robert Lewandowski but can also take his place. With the Polish player approaching 37 years, the Barça board sees it necessary to ensure a reliable alternative in the attack front.
In that sense, many names have been put on the club's table, but two stand out above the rest: Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres. However, the first was ruled out due to Newcastle's financial demands, which asked for more than 100 million euros for his transfer. In that sense, this left the Swedish striker from Sporting de Portugal as the first alternative, as his price was around 65 million, a much more accessible figure for Barça.
Flick Makes a Decision
Despite the interest of the club's board, Hansi Flick has decided to halt the operation. The German coach believes that, with Lewandowski still on the team, it's not necessary to make a significant investment in another '9'. Instead, he prefers the club to allocate money to strengthen other positions he considers more urgent for the next season.
Gyökeres is a forward with multiple offers from major European clubs, such as Liverpool, Arsenal, Inter Milan, and PSG. Therefore, Flick believes it wouldn't make sense to sign him if his intention is to be a starter from day one. This knowing that, from the start, he doesn't plan to bench Lewandowski.
Total Confidence in Lewandowski
Despite the doubts that have arisen around Robert Lewandowski's performance, Flick still believes in his scoring ability. The German coach considers that, with the right system, the Polish forward can continue to be Barça's offensive reference and provide the goals the team needs.
However, neither Hansi Flick nor his coaching staff rule out the arrival of a forward with a more secondary role, who accepts being a substitute and serves as a replacement when necessary. For now, the priority is not to sign a star scorer but to strengthen other areas of the field to better balance the squad.