26-year-old Serie A forward hoping for Barcelona breakthrough this summer – Report | OneFootball

With the future of Robert Lewandowski still very uncertain, one of the positions that FC Barcelona will have to address in the upcoming summer transfer window is that of the center forward.

The Atletico Madrid forward, Julian Alvarez, is currently the favorite of the Blaugrana side to replace the Pole. However, getting him would not really be easy, and as a result, the Catalans are monitoring some other names as well, including Joao Pedro.

Meanwhile, another forward that had been linked with Barcelona some time ago was the Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, although his signing was ruled out by the Catalan club at that time.

However, SPORT now reports that the Serbian international has frozen his renewal talks with Juventus and is waiting for either Barcelona or FC Bayern Munich, both of whom could look to strengthen their center forward positions in the coming months. Still, the Blaugrana side continues to view him as a non-priority option for now.

The report further adds that Vlahovic is now increasingly inclined to leave Juventus after the Italian side offered him a renewal on reduced wages following a difficult season in Turin.

Even though some Premier League sides and AC Milan have also shown interest in him, the 26-year-old Serbian is reportedly waiting for a move to an elite European club, with Barcelona understood to be his preferred destination.

One factor that can work in the Catalans’ favor is the player’s willingness to reduce his salary demands. Furthermore, the striker would also be open to accepting a secondary role in the squad if it helps him secure a move to the Blaugrana club.

However, much will still depend on the futures of Lewandowski and Ferran Torres. The Polish striker is yet to make a final decision on the one-year renewal offer from Barcelona, and if he ends up leaving, the Catalans could then look for a more traditional number nine profile in the market.

In such a scenario, Vlahovic believes he can still have a chance of ending up at his preferred club, although players like Alexander Sorloth and Vedat Muriqi have also been linked with Barcelona in recent weeks.

For now, both the player and his entourage are prepared to wait and see how the market develops in the coming weeks before making a final decision on his future.