Barcelona identify Manchester City forward as an alternative to Julian Alvarez – Report | OneFootball

FC Barcelona need to sign a new striker this summer, irrespective of whether or not Robert Lewandowski renews his contract. Julian Alvarez still remains the priority but it does look like the Catalan club don’t want to put all their eggs in one basket.

The club are aware of the difficulty that they could face to sign the Argentinian. So, as per SPORT, they have identified Omar Marmoush, the Manchester City striker as a potential alternative.

The logic is easy enough to follow. Alvarez is the marquee name, but he would likely require a huge financial operation and Atletico Madrid would not make life easy. Marmoush, by contrast, looks like the kind of high-level alternative Barca could at least study more realistically, especially if they want a forward with mobility, aggression and the ability to attack space rather than just wait in the box.

Marmoush is not a like-for-like copy of Alvarez, but he does offer some of the same modern qualities Barcelona would value in a new No. 9 or hybrid forward. He can stretch defences, press, and play across the front line, which would give Hansi Flick more tactical flexibility than a purely static striker.

That said, this should still be treated as an alternative, not the main event. It does look like the club feel Alvarez is the best fit, although one can make the argument that he is not a natural number nine and not the right profile for Barcelona to target.

Marmoush will be a good addition though, at the right price, and let’s wait and see how things play out.