Barcelona believe Atletico Madrid could demand €200 million for ace goalscorer – report | OneFootball

It is no secret that Barcelona are gearing up for a summer of change in 2026 and one of the club’s main priorities will be to sign a new forward who can replace Robert Lewandowski.

The ageing Polish striker has shown signs of decline this season and could be playing his final season for the club, prompting Barcelona to look for options in the market.

One of Joan Laporta’s favourite picks is none other than Julian Alvarez, who has become a household name in La Liga after joining Atletico Madrid.

In just over a year, the Argentine international has racked up 36 goals and 11 assists for Atletico Madrid, with many calling him the next big star in Argentine football.

Atletico Madrid would be willing to negotiate with Barcelona

For the longest time, it was thought that Atletico Madrid would not even bother opening up to negotiations for Alvarez, as he is too important to the team.

However, according to Radioestadio Noche, it appears Atletico Madrid could be willing to negotiate with Barcelona surrounding the potential sale of Alvarez.

Can Barcelona afford a move for Julian Alvarez? (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

But Barcelona believe the Madrid outfit could end up slapping an asking price of €200 million for the Argentine international.

That would be too steep a price for Barcelona, even if they manage to get rid of Lewandowski and some other star players in the team.

Fiscal prudence, after all, has become one of Barcelona’s main priorities in recent years, which is why the club have avoided splurging big in the transfer market, at least until stability comes back.

A move for Alvarez in 2026, therefore, could be next to impossible for Barcelona. One solution, though, is that the club sign someone for the medium to short term before eventually going after the Argentine a few years later.