Barcelona is reportedly interested in signing Manchester City’s Argentine forward Julian Alvarez, who has been praised by Lionel Messi as ‘extraordinary.’ Under Hansi Flick’s management, Barcelona aims to enhance their attacking options and sees Alvarez as a key addition.
According to the Spanish publication SPORT, Barcelona views Alvarez as a valuable asset due to his versatility and impressive performance last season, where he scored 19 goals and provided 13 assists in 54 appearances across all competitions.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta is said to be considering pursuing Alvarez as part of his re-election campaign. Although Laporta had previously pledged to extend Messi’s contract, financial issues led to Messi’s departure.
Messi praised Alvarez’s contributions, particularly following Argentina’s 2022 FIFA World Cup win. Messi highlighted Alvarez’s significant impact, describing him as ‘extraordinary’ and ‘spectacular.’
Laporta is also eyeing Alvarez’s Manchester City teammate Erling Haaland, but any move for Haaland might be postponed until next year. Barcelona is looking to strengthen their squad in response to Real Madrid’s acquisition of Kylian Mbappe.
With Alvarez having four years left on his contract with Manchester City, Barcelona would need to negotiate a transfer deal. Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain are also interested in the World Cup winner, who is valued at £80 million.
Alvarez and Messi have a strong connection from their time together with Argentina, with Alvarez playing a role in Messi’s World Cup triumph. Currently, they are competing in the Copa America, with Argentina starting the tournament with a 1-0 victory over Chile on June 26.
Before the competition, Alvarez expressed his hope that Messi would continue playing for Argentina, stating that the team is better with Messi’s presence.
