Barcelona will look to sign Premier League striker if Julian Alvarez deal fails | OneFootball

Julian Alvarez may have signalled his intention to join Barcelona this summer, but there is no guarantee that a deal is done. Atletico Madrid are determined to hang on to their star player, but even if they agree to let him go, they have no intention to allowing him to head to the Spotify Camp Nou.

Atleti have already turned down an offer of €150m from Real Madrid, and despite Alvarez’s public declaration, they continue to refer to his €500m release clause. If they continue to play hardball, Barcelona may be forced to look elsewhere, which is why they have already identified a leading alternative.

According to Sport, Barcelona will move for AFC Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi if they fail to sign Alvarez. The 19-year-old is a player that sporting director Deco has had on his radar even before his explosion in the Premier League, and he has now been elevated to the point of being the club’s Plan B for the striker situation.

Europe’s elite are following Kroupi

Barcelona are not the only club keeping tabs on Kroupi, with the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool and Arsenal also said to have the Frenchman on their lists. The Catalan consider him to have the potential to be one of the best strikers in world football, which is a key reason why he is seen as the best option outside of Alvarez.

However, it has been widely reported in England that Bournemouth do not have many intention of letting Kroupi leave this summer. If offers were to come, it would take well in excess of €100m for the Premier League club to cave, so an operation would not be much less expensive than the one for Alvarez (should Atleti end up relaxing their stance). Nevertheless, it remains to be seen whether Barcelona make a move in the coming weeks.