Barcelona freeze talks for number nine free agent target | OneFootball

Barcelona are prioritising a centre-forward in the summer transfer window, but it is unlikely to be Dusan Vlahovic. The Juventus striker is a free agent in the summer, and Barcelona could tie him to a pre-contract, but the chances of that happening seem to be on the slide.

The Serbian striker has been linked to Barcelona all season, and on multiple occasions, his representatives have spoken with Director of Football Deco. Vlahovic’s continuity at Juventus is not guaranteed, but with uncertainty over how much Barcelona can spend in the summer, Vlahovic looked an obvious potential solution to their issues.

Barcelona freeze talks with Vlahovic

Yet the latest from Catalonia is that Barcelona are unlikely to make a move for Vlahovic. Sport say that Barcelona have frozen talks with Vlahovic in recent weeks, and that unless there is a U-turn, will not offer him a contract. The Blaugrana informed themselves of the contract terms Vlahovic was asking for, and he was keen to move to Camp Nou, but he has been informed that he is not a priority this summer.

Vlahovic would only be considered if Barcelona’s salary limit situation prevented them from being within the ‘1:1 rule’, something they believe they are on course for. Hence reports from Italy that Juventus and Vlahovic have held talks about an extension in recent weeks tally with this one.

Barcelona seeking different style of forward

One of the reasons they have done so is that Barcelona do not feel he is the right fit stylistically. They are keen to bring in a more mobile number nine, rather than a fixed reference point. They have started working on other alternatives, and Omar Marmoush and Julian Alvarez align more closely with that idea. In many senses they have that in Ferran Torres, but he is not a number nine by trade.