Barcelona begin operations for plan-B striker as Julian Alvarez deal hits a roadblock | OneFootball

FC Barcelona’s search for a striker appears to be going nowhere this summer, with their pursuit of Julian Alvarez reaching a dead end amid Atletico Madrid’s dogged stance.

Having seen their talismanic striker Robert Lewandowski leave at the end of last summer, there is no doubt that the Catalan club would like to sign a new marquee number nine to replace him.

This has prompted them to revive their interest in alternatives, and one of the players they have identified is Bournemouth striker Eli Junior Kroupi.

According to SPORT, the Catalans want to test whether Bournemouth’s refusal to sell the 20-year-old is truly final, even though the Premier League side currently regard him as untouchable.

The French Under-21 international scored 13 goals in 35 Premier League appearances during his first season in England after joining Bournemouth from Lorient for €13 million.

That impact has attracted interest from several leading European clubs, including Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Manchester City.

Bournemouth remain determined to resist those approaches. They see Kroupi as a central figure in the project they are currently building.

His agent, Moussa Sissoko, also recently denied that negotiations with Barcelona were taking place. The Catalan club have less-than-fond memories of dealing with the agent, given how Ousmane Dembele’s negotiations were handled at the time.

Barca must avoid another impossible chase

Kroupi is an appealing option because he offers goals, youth and significant room for development. At 20, he could grow alongside Lamine Yamal, Karim Adeyemi and the rest of Barcelona’s emerging attacking core.

However, the operation only makes sense at a reasonable price. Paying close to superstar money for a forward with only one strong Premier League season would carry considerable risk.

Barcelona are right to identify alternatives to Alvarez, but they must also recognise when a selling club has neither the financial need nor the sporting desire to negotiate.

Kroupi fits the long-term plan better than a short-term stopgap, yet Bournemouth are in a position to call all the shots.

The club are right to keep the door open, but this does not appear to be a sensible alternative to Alvarez. It remains to be seen how the situation develops.