It is no secret that Barcelona are currently in a precarious position. Despite confirming the arrival of Vitor Roque in January, the club have limited attacking options.
Gavi’s long-term injury, coupled with a lack of form for some of the attackers does not help Xavi’s case at all.
Nevertheless, Barcelona are expected to continue with the current workforce without making too many moves in the market.
Xavi likes Julian Alvarez
In the long run, however, Xavi is particularly fond of Julian Alvarez. That is according to Diario SPORT (h/t FCB World), which suggests that the Barcelona coach has identified the Manchester City starlet as a potential target in the future.
Alvarez is presently regarded as one of the most promising young attackers from South America. After making a name for himself at River Plate, the youngster has flourished since his move to Man City, despite playing under the shadow of Erling Haaland.
Alvarez has racked up 71 competitive appearances for Man City during his 18-month spell at the Etihad so far. He has scored 25 goals while providing 17 assists.
The former River Plate prodigy has also won 28 caps for the Argentine national team and was a critical part of the World Cup-winning squad last year.
An ideal replacement for Lewandowski?
It would perhaps be slightly unfair to label Julian Alvarez as a potential long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski.
Lewandowski is more of a predatory striker, who likes to hover around the penalty box. Alvarez, in contrast, is a modern forward who is able to operate around the flanks, if necessary.
One could, therefore, argue that Alvarez would be better suited to Barcelona’s style of play. He can be an excellent striker partner to Vitor Roque, who is also a versatile modern capable of operating in multiple areas in the final third.
Striking a deal with Man City, though, could be a tricky affair for Barcelona, knowing the Premier League would be skeptical about offloading one of the best South American talents of the current generation.
