The Search for Barça’s Next No. 9: Three Strikers Built for Flick’s Barcelona

The 2026 summer transfer window has unquestionably been a busy one for FC Barcelona. From the instant, rumour-devoid ‘bombas’ of Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi, to a Rodri hijack that saw the club snatch away a player most perceived was bound for Real Madrid, there has been no shortage of movement in Catalonia. Yet, beyond all the excitement, one particularly pressing matter continues to loom over Barça’s summer: the striker situation.

Robert Lewandowski’s departure brought an end to a hugely productive four-year spell, but it also left behind a vacancy Barça knew would eventually have to be filled. For a time, Ferran Torres appeared capable of softening that transition. His emergence as a genuine goalscoring option offered Hansi Flick an internal solution and, perhaps more importantly, bought the club time to carefully consider its next long-term No. 9.

That safety net is now gone too, of course. Ferran’s move to Paris Saint-Germain has left Barcelona without a recognised senior centre-forward and transformed what was already an important piece of squad planning into one of the defining issues of the remainder of their window. And while Hamza Abdelkarim provides a particularly interesting developmental project, it is far-fetched to hang onto hopes of an 18-year-old kid from Egypt being the answer in his very first season.

The club’s preferred solution is hardly a secret. Julián Álvarez has long stood out as the dream candidate: an elite presser with the capacity to operate across the frontline, to dominate both the half-spaces and the space in behind, while retaining the level of ball-striking that has made him arguably the most sought-after forward in what is proving to be a remarkably thin striker market. Barça, for their part, have wasted little time in testing Atlético Madrid’s resolve. An opening bid worth €100 million was swiftly tabled, only for the approach to become the centre of controversy as Atlético took to social media to publicly express their displeasure with both the offer and the manner of the Blaugrana’s pursuit.

Yet the very qualities that make Álvarez such an obvious solution are also what make the operation so difficult. Indeed, to this day, Atletico have vehemently opposed a sale, both publicly and, per reports, privately to Julian. For Barcelona, then, admiration alone cannot constitute a transfer strategy. Álvarez may remain the priority, but with no guarantee that a deal can be struck, the club must be prepared to look elsewhere. And in a striker market short on obvious elite solutions, identifying the right alternative may prove every bit as important as pursuing their first choice. And that is precisely what this piece aims to explore.  

What We Know

Before proceeding to the list of names, it is first important to understand the profile of striker Barcelona are actually looking for. While no comments have been made publicly, various reliable reports in the Catalan media suggest the club are targeting what could broadly be described as a ‘second-striker’ profile. In simple terms, this means something of a hybrid between an out-and-out box threat and a false nine. A forward who excels in possession: comfortable dropping deep, linking play and combining between the lines, while still maintaining a distinct eye for goal and the instincts required to consistently attack the penalty area. This, too, explains the club’s fixation with Julián Álvarez.

The Argentine offers far more than goals, capable of dropping between the lines, combining in the half-spaces and facilitating those around him, while retaining the movement and finishing of an elite No. 9. Barça’s earlier interest in João Pedro and Eli Junior Kroupi further points towards this profile. Both are similarly mobile, technically gifted forwards, though neither move proved viable: Chelsea were unwilling to sell Pedro, while Kroupi’s injury brought that pursuit to a halt. With all the above in mind, this deep dive into Barcelona’s striker alternatives will centre around four key attributes: · 

Physicality: strength, athleticism and ability to cope with the demands of leading the line.  

3. Vangelis Pavlidis

Why Consider Him?

At 27, and entering what should be the absolute peak of his powers, Vangelis Pavlidis is really beginning to come into his own. The Greek striker has scored a remarkable 140 goals across his last five seasons, split between AZ Alkmaar and, more recently, Portuguese giants Benfica. If there were any doubts over whether that form could continue, he has started the new campaign emphatically: nine goals in his opening five matches, including a hat-trick in Benfica’s league opener against Casa Pia. Furthermore, what often gets lost or overlooked with this current Barça squad, is the fact that they are fundamentally a very young group of players. This is precisely why Rodri is such an important personality to have within the dressing room, and further why an experienced figure such as Pavlidis could add real value.

What Stands Out

First, the elephant in the room. As previously established, Barça appear to be gravitating towards a second-striker profile, and Pavlidis is certainly not the most natural fit for that mould. But that does not necessarily place him outside the scope of the club’s vision. If anything, what makes him interesting is precisely what differentiates him. Pavlidis blends the tendencies of a classic, old-school No. 9 with a level of technical proficiency that makes him far more than simply a penalty-box striker.

He dominates the box, both on the ground and aerially, possesses the strength and physicality to operate as a genuine hold-up outlet, and consistently gives his side a focal point through the middle. Yet there is considerably more nuance to his game. Pavlidis is comfortable dropping away from the defensive line, linking play and combining in the half-spaces before making his way back into goalscoring positions. He may not be the fluid second striker Barça appear to favour, but he offers a compelling compromise: the presence and penalty-box authority of a traditional No. 9, without completely sacrificing the technical involvement Barcelona demand from their centre-forward.

Pavlidis further checks a very important box for any player coming into a Hansi Flick system: workrate. While I wouldn’t highlight pressing as a standout attribute in his game in the same way I would for a Julian Alvarez or an Anthony Gordon, looking into the data, he ranks in a very respectable 78th percentile for pressure regains and the 75th percentile for counterpressures. For reference, Ferran Torres ranks in the 74th percentile for pressure regains and the 80th percentile for counterpressures.

Finally, I cannot sell you Pavlidis as a viable Julián Álvarez alternative without addressing his greatest strength, which is quite simply scoring goals. Pavlidis is an exceptionally clinical finisher, consistently outperforming his xG throughout his career. Naturally, joining Barça is a big step up in environment, both mentally and physically, yet in a Hansi Flick system, surrounded by creators of the calibre of Pedri, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Dani Olmo, Pavlidis would hardly be starved of service. If anything, his ability to relentlessly attack the box and convert chances at an above-expected rate suggests his goalscoring profile could translate remarkably well.  

Critical Reflection

The idea here is relatively simple. If you are expecting Pavlidis to arrive and establish himself as a world-class No. 9 in the mould of some of Barcelona’s great strikers of the past, you will likely be disappointed. That is not what this signing would be about. Rather, in an increasingly bleak striker market, and with players such as Julián Álvarez and João Pedro seemingly unattainable, Pavlidis represents a sensible compromise.

At 27, he is in his prime, offers a reliable source of goals, and could provide Barcelona with a strong short-to-medium-term solution without forcing the club into an enormous investment. Most importantly, signing Pavlidis would not prevent Barça from returning to the market for a truly elite, big-money striker when the right opportunity presents itself. In that sense, perhaps the best way to frame him is this: Pavlidis would be less of a Lewandowski replacement and more of a Ferran Torres replacement. And within the current market, Barcelona could do much worse.  

2. Georges Mikautadze

Why Consider Him?

Georges Mikautadze is a name that has steadily risen to prominence over the past few seasons. At 25, he is another forward approaching the peak of his powers and, barring one rather bizarre nine-game stint at Ajax, his trajectory has been overwhelmingly positive. Take that brief spell in Amsterdam out of the equation, and Mikautadze’s last three seasons, all spent across Europe’s top five leagues, have yielded an impressive 45 goals and 19 assists. More importantly, he now has a full season of La Liga football under his belt, establishing himself as one of the competition’s standout performers outside Spain’s traditional big three. His first campaign at Villarreal was particularly encouraging. Mikautadze finished the season with 19 goal contributions in 32 league appearances, offering perhaps the clearest evidence yet that his numbers can translate to the level Barcelona would demand.

What Stands Out

In contrast to Pavlidis, Mikautadze falls firmly within the all-encompassing second-striker profile that Barcelona have been chasing so extensively. In fact, I would go as far as to say that, stylistically, he is perhaps the closest alternative to Julián Álvarez on this list, albeit with one important caveat that I will get to later. The comparison is not purely stylistic, either. There is a compelling argument that Mikautadze actually enjoyed the stronger 2025/26 league campaign, finishing with 13 goals and six assists, compared to Álvarez’s eight goals and four assists.

On the ball, the similarities become even clearer. Mikautadze likes to be heavily involved in the build-up, regularly dropping deep and acting as a bridge between midfield and attack. What immediately stands out is his technical quality: the quick feet in tight spaces, sharp combinations and ability to link play without slowing an attack down. There is also a real completeness to the way he operates across the frontline.

Mikautadze can run in behind to stretch a defensive line, hold the ball up with his back to goal, or drop deep to receive within those congested half-spaces. His adaptability to offer a dual-threat further bodes well for the fluidity of Flick’s system, as he would thrive playing off other highly adaptable forwards alongside him. What we’d likely see is frequent interchanging to degrees that simply were not possible with Ferran and Lewandowski as Barça’s primary striker options.

His finishing profile is similarly encouraging. Mikautadze has consistently shown himself to be an above-average finisher, but perhaps more importantly, he boasts a wide range of finishes – excelling at both low percentage shots and more traditional centre forward play at closer range. Ultimately, that balance is what makes him such an intriguing fit. For a Barcelona side looking for considerably more than a conventional penalty-box No. 9, there is a lot to like.

Critical Reflection

For all of Mikautadze’s obvious strengths, there is one drawback that becomes particularly difficult to overlook within the context of a Hansi Flick system: his work without the ball. Quite simply, Mikautadze is not a natural presser. He ranks in just the 27th percentile for pressure regains and counter-pressures, reflecting a forward who is far less active defensively than Flick typically demands from the first line of pressure.

For another side, that might be a weakness you are willing to accommodate. At FC Barcelona, where so much of Flick’s football relies on winning the ball back quickly and aggressively from the front, it risks becoming far more consequential. And that is the important caveat when comparing him to Julián Álvarez. Their similarities on the ball are striking, but without it, the gap is substantial. Álvarez offers relentless intensity and pressing as a fundamental part of his game; with Mikautadze, Barcelona would be signing a player whose natural tendencies run almost directly against one of the defining principles of Flick’s system.

1.Nicolò Tresoldi

Why Consider Him?

Nicolò Tresoldi is a name generating plenty of buzz in what has become an increasingly depleted striker market. At just 21, he is comfortably the least experienced player on this list, having only joined Club Brugge last summer from Hannover 96 in the German second tier. Yet he is hardly a newcomer to senior football. Despite his age, Tresoldi has already accumulated over 140 senior appearances across the two clubs.

More importantly, his first season in Belgium was a resounding success. Tresoldi scored 19 league goals in just 29 starts, or 2,500 minutes of football, immediately establishing himself as one of the competition’s most productive forwards. And that is where the appeal becomes obvious. In a striker market where even relatively unproven forwards are commanding enormous fees, the prospect of a 21-year-old with substantial senior experience and an already credible goalscoring record is difficult to ignore. Factor in a stylistic profile that, as we will explore next, aligns remarkably well with what Barcelona are looking for, and Tresoldi becomes one of the more intriguing options on this list.

What Stands Out

Tresoldi is a very associative striker. He is comfortable dropping away from the defensive line to receive under pressure, linking with midfielders and functioning as both creative and highly self-sufficient, while further possessing the physical tools to make those actions stick. At 1.83m, he uses his body exceptionally well, one of his trademark moves being dropping deep, shielding the ball with his back to goal, then either using his mobility to turn the defender or using his strength to lay the ball off.

Indeed, in all my research for this piece, what stood out immediately was Tresoldi’s supreme upper body strength. He is also a genuine presence in the air and in the box. In that sense, this is the clearest example of a striker with a nice balance between associative play and traditional centre-forward qualities. But two areas really separate him from the pack: his shooting and his work-rate without the ball.

Tresoldi is an incredibly high-volume shooter, averaging 3.35 non-penalty shots per 90, while ranking in the 92nd percentile for non-penalty xG among Belgian Pro League centre-forwards last season. Crucially, those shots aren't coming from hopeful positions. Almost half were taken from within 10 metres of goal, while he generated nearly one big-chance attempt per 90. The picture is of a striker who consistently finds his way into dangerous areas and, with 19 non-penalty goals from 15.19 xG, showed he could finish once he got there.

Then there is the pressing, and this is where Tresoldi really stands apart. He ranks in the 96th percentile for pressures, pressure regains, defensive actions, defensive-action regains and counter-pressures, placing him among the most active centre-forwards in world football. For a striker, let alone one just 21 years of age, that level of defensive output is remarkably rare. And within a Hansi Flick system built around relentless pressure and intensity, it is difficult to imagine a profile better suited to leading the press from the front. That combination is ultimately what makes Tresoldi so appealing: he offers something close to the best of both worlds.

Like Mikautadze, he can drop deep, combine and help connect midfield with attack, but without sacrificing the more traditional qualities of a No. 9. He brings the physicality and aerial presence of Pavlidis, while adding a level of pressing intensity that neither can match. In many ways, Tresoldi sits neatly between the two: technically associative, physically imposing and relentless without the ball. Indeed, he is not really a second striker in the conventional sense. Rather, I see him as something of a modern hybrid No. 9, stylistically closer to the broad mould of a Harry Kane or Luis Suárez: capable of participating extensively in the build-up without sacrificing the physical presence, penalty-box movement and goalscoring instincts of a traditional striker. For what Flick asks of his No. 9, stylistically, all of the above denotes why he is my clear first choice.

Critical Reflection

For all the excitement surrounding Tresoldi, there is an important distinction to make between stylistic suitability and readiness. On profile alone, he ticks virtually every box Barcelona could want. Yet, while he is hardly an inexperienced prospect, he remains very much a footballer in development. The jump in level cannot be understated. As recently as two seasons ago, Tresoldi was playing in the German second tier. From there, he has taken the step to Belgium and would now be asked to lead the line for FC Barcelona, all within the span of two years. That is an enormous progression, particularly for a 21-year-old centre-forward carrying the expectations that inevitably come with being Barça’s No. 9.

I have very few doubts about whether his qualities suit the football Flick wants to play. The greater uncertainty is whether he is ready to deliver them consistently at this level, almost immediately so. And with Barcelona having already invested in another young striker in Hamza Abdelkarim, nobody could fault the club for wanting greater certainty. There is a perfectly reasonable argument for targeting a more established forward with a considerably larger sample size across Europe’s top leagues, someone capable of arriving and making an impact from day one. While Tresoldi may have the ideal profile; the question is whether Barça can afford to wait for the ideal player to fully develop.