FC Barcelona may find it much more complicated than expected to sign a left winger in the summer market. After Nico Williams' renewal with Athletic, Luis Díaz and Marcus Rashford are the main alternatives available, with the Colombian being the option that most convinces the culé sporting director, Deco.
However, Bayern Munich's insistence on torpedoing the negotiation with the 'Guajiro', along with Liverpool's economic demands, cast doubt on the operation. With the English striker there is a bit more advantage, as the player prioritizes a Blaugrana offer.
Even so, his high salary and Manchester United's doubts about accepting a loan cannot rule out a signing that Barça already dismissed in the last winter market. If both operations collapse, Julián Álvarez's name would be the 'hidden' folder of the culé board.
Impossible Signing? The real cost of Julián Álvarez for Barça
The Argentine striker signed with Atlético de Madrid until 2030 and his termination clause is 500 million euros. Understanding that his market value already reaches 100 'kilos' in Transfermarkt, it is logical that the 'colchoneros' ask for a similar figure to even consider his transfer.
Atlético paid €75M net for the 'Spider', but the total operation could go up to 90 million including variables. Barça, for the moment, does not plan to spend more than 65-70 'kilos' on another left winger, although they could amortize an operation close to €100M in case of closing one or two 'top' sales.
Players like Ronald Araujo, Fermín López, Marc Casadó and Ferran Torres can generate between 50 and 60 million each for their transfer, but none of them plan to leave the club despite not having a guaranteed starting position. If at least two of those mentioned leave about €100M in the culé coffers, there would be enough margin to go for the '19' of Aleti.
Julián Álvarez can also be an ideal winger for Barça
Although at Atlético and the Argentine national team he has established himself as a center forward, Julián can play without problems on both sides. At River Plate, Marcelo Gallardo often put him as a right winger or attacking midfielder, when the Colombian Rafael Santos Borré was the '9' of the team.
The Calchín native has also played on the left in the national team and with Manchester City. Pep Guardiola used to alternate Álvarez with Jack Grealish to accompany Erling Haaland and the Argentine responded with good performances, scoring and assisting on several occasions.
Not in vain, in 23/24, his last season in England, he scored 19 goals and 14 assists despite not being an undisputed starter. At Barça he would have no problems adapting to Hansi Flick's scheme, as both Raphinha and Dani Olmo often take advantage of mobility to do damage as an attacking midfielder, behind Robert Lewandowski.
In that sense, Barça sees the incorporation of a '9' in 2026 as a priority objective, when 'Lewy' finishes his contract with the club. Betting on the 'Spider' this year would resolve the debate about who will be the successor of the Pole, although Ferran Torres has earned merits to stay in the squad.
Julián Álvarez's salary would not be easy for Barça to assume either
Beyond the real options of amortizing the transfer of Julián Álvarez this summer, operating clearly under the 1:1 rule, Barcelona would also have problems fitting the Argentine's salary into its salary mass for 25/26.
And, according to 'Directv Sports', the 25-year-old striker actually earns around 10 million euros net per season with the 'rojiblancos', about 4 'kilos' more than what, in principle, Nico Williams would have earned had he signed for the Blaugrana team.
Raphinha, for example, earns €6.5M net annually, far from the 26 'kilos' gross that Lewandowski earns or the €19M that Frenkie de Jong currently receives, these last two being the highest paid players in the squad, a status that Lamine Yamal will assume in the near future.
Thus, for Barça it is not an impossible mission to go for the Atlético goalscorer this year, but it is certainly an operation that depends on several external factors. The Argentine, yes, would give the 'ok' to the Blaugrana team without hesitation, since with the 'colchoneros', clearly, he will have fewer possibilities to expand his fantastic individual record.
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