Barcelona Sets Sights on a 'Super' Striker to Replace Lewandowski
15 November 2025
Lewandowski's Exit Window and Barça's Financial Play
Barcelona has quietly launched a serious study into signing a world-class striker as Robert Lewandowski's contract runs down toward its expiry this coming summer.
People close to the Barcelona camp told Mundo Deportivo that the club's financial team sees a viable path to a substantial investment if the football operations department believes the move is necessary, all within a strict framework of finances and governance.
They say Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid stands at the top of the shortlist, but Barça is also weighing other options such as Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund), and Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray).
The future of Lewandowski is the key to the plan, because the Polish striker, 37, will not only be at the end of his current deal but, if he leaves, would free a substantial amount of budget.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the first question to solve is whether the departure could unlock around 40 million euros under La Liga's financial fair play rules, money that could be reinvested in a new striker, including salary and amortization across several seasons.
Two main conditions are cited to make the operation viable: return to a 1:1 ratio under the La Liga financial fair play to deploy the 40 million and a financial structure capable of absorbing the total cost.
Club sources say Barça is close to delivering this balance, awaiting a quarterly installment from a sponsorship partner due in December, with the overall plan unfolding on a cap of around 100 million euros under the schedule.
New Era, the fund manager handling payments, is described as committed to the project but retains the right to bring in other investors to cover the balance.
Meanwhile, in the 24-25 budget, the extraordinary 100 million euros from the deal has not been booked; only 70 million has been recognized, leaving 30 million to push the club closer to the 1:1 target.
Besides that, the second condition is a structure that can absorb the cost, with Mundo Deportivo noting that rising revenues, especially with a fully reopened Spotify Camp Nou, could make the transfer feasible.
Leading candidates: Alvarez (25) is seen as both a future and present option; L'Équipe even asked him about Barça, and he did not rule out considering his future at the end of the season.
Erling Haaland, though a dream, is unlikely given his contract with Manchester City through 2034, but Kane (32) with a 65 million euro release clause also has Barca's interest and is a plan the coach has previously endorsed.
Guirassy and Osimhen are also on the radar, while a cheaper option like Carl Eta Eyong from Villarreal has been mentioned.
The player's breakout season has drawn interest from major clubs after contributing to 9 goals in 12 La Liga appearances, with a 22-year-old Cameroon international reportedly turning down a 30 million euro bid from CSKA Moscow.
Dan Vila, the largest shareholder and Barca's CEO, says the offers flood in but the club aims to keep the player in Spain at least until June on loan, focusing on stability in La Liga.
Peer clubs like Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Arsenal are watching Eyong and others as Barça weighs a potential winter move, with a decision expected before the next window.
Conclusion: Barça's interest in Alvarez is strong, but the path to signing any striker remains intricately linked to Lewandowski's future and La Liga's financial constraints.
Punchline 1: If Barça lands a super striker, the only thing louder than the cheers will be the accountants clattering their keyboards.
Punchline 2: And if Lewandowski stays put, at least the locker room will finally have enough chairs so everyone can sit down and dream about the goals they’ll score together.
