Father time seldom spares. The greatest players to have ever graced the beautiful game have been unable to escape the grim reaper that is age.
FC Barcelona talisman Robert Lewandowski has been one of its strongest adversaries, still going strong at the age of 36-year-old.
However, the Catalan giants are well-aware that he is entering the final years of his career and are thus laying out an adequate succession plan for the goalscoring machine, who is expected to play his final year at the club next season.
According to SPORT, one of the names to have cropped up on Barcelona’s wishlist for next summer is Atletico Madrid ace Julian Alvarez.
The 25-year-old broke onto the scene for River Plate before making the switch to Manchester City, where he made an immediate impression under former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola. His success with the Argentine National Team, winning the 2022 World Cup, further cemented his status as one of the best young strikers in the world.
Today, he plies his trade for Atletico Madrid, where he recently concluded a terrific debut season. Despite the striker’s high transfer value of €100 million, Joan Laporta believes he is the perfect candidate to take on the mantle from Lewandowski. Moreover, the financial situation has been gradually improving over the years and is expected to be at its best by the time next year’s window swings open.
Alvarez is not only a superb finisher with a clinical eye for goal but also possesses tremendous abilities on the ball, which is essential for any Barcelona striker. His link-up play and engine off the ball is what sets him apart from other similarly high-scoring forwards.
Laporta has been known to deeply value fans’ sentiments and garner off-field buzz with transfers. Given that next year will be his final year as President before the elections take place, a big-name signing is certainly on the cards, which greatly increases the possibility of Alvarez donning the infamous Blaugrana colors.
