The Hard Tackle lists three players Barcelona should target as Robert Lewandowski alternatives, as the Pole might not arrive at Camp Nou this summer.
A summer of hope has arrived at FC Barcelona, with Joan Laporta scrambling to solve the club’s financial woes as much as possible before they begin their transfer business. But as long as that is not done, Barcelona’s ability to sign their priority targets this summer remains up in the air.
The Catalan giants are set to activate “economic levers” to pump in money and stabilise their squad quickly. That will enable Barcelona to pursue several players efficiently, with one of their most important targets being Robert Lewandowski.
Lionel Messi’s shocking departure last summer left Barcelona without a prolific goalscorer, with Memphis Depay finding the back of the net more often than any other player. But the Dutchman did not even manage 15 goals across all competitions, which shows just how much the chips have fallen in Barcelona’s offensive unit.
The Catalan giants are thus targetting Lewandowski to bolster their attack manifold, considering the Bayern Munich striker guarantees goals by the dozens. But the Bundesliga champions are threatening to play spoilsport and ruin Barcelona’s hopes of signing Lewandowski, with their decision-makers publicly insisting that the veteran forward is going nowhere this summer.
Meanwhile, Lewandowski has been vocal about his desire to leave Bayern Munich as he wants to embark on a new adventure. But with Bayern Munich determined to keep hold of Lewandowski beyond the summer transfer window despite his contract situation and eagerness to depart, Barcelona might have to scour the market for alternatives.
Despite activating the “economical levers”, Barcelona might not be able to pay over the top to sign their targets in the summer transfer window. And with that in mind, The Hard Tackle lists three forwards who could be alternatives to Robert Lewandowski while fitting Barcelona’s budget. The caveat is that we have selected three versatile forwards instead of natural strikers as they might ideally settle in Xavi Hernandez’s system.
Gabriel Jesus
The first name on our list features a player who will definitely leave his current club in the summer transfer window, unlike Robert Lewandowski. That itself gives Barcelona the impetus to launch the offensive for Gabriel Jesus, whose future at Manchester City seems non-existent.
Like Lewandowski, Jesus wants to leave his parent club, albeit for different reasons, as he will want to play regularly to be a first-choice starter for Brazil at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The 25-year-old attacker’s ability to rotate possession efficiently while reprising various roles in the final third should appeal to Xavi Hernandez.
Jesus also has his best years ahead of him, meaning he could be a long-term solution in the final third for Barcelona, which is crucial as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is in his thirties. And if his progress in the second half of the 2021/22 season is anything to go by, Jesus is adding facets to his game, making him a well-rounded option for Xavi.
But Barcelona will have to fend off stiff competition from several European bigwigs to land Jesus in the summer transfer window, with arch-rival Real Madrid among his prospective suitors. Real Madrid will also be better off on the financial front, meaning Barcelona might have an uphill task in the race to land the Manchester City forward.
Serge Gnabry
While Barcelona’s pursuit of one Bayern Munich ace might not be successful, launching the offensive for another player part of the Bavarian club’s offensive department might be fruitful. We are talking about Serge Gnabry, another Bayern Munich player who faces an uncertain future at the Allianz Arena.
But like Gabriel Jesus, Gnabry is a target for Real Madrid, which might complicate matters for Barcelona. Recent reports have also claimed that the German international prefers to join Real Madrid in the summer transfer window. But Gnabry fits the bill perfectly for Barcelona.
While the 26-year-old might not be as prolific as Robert Lewandowski, he packs a punch in the final third, and his output has improved in recent years. In addition, he prefers to play through the middle instead of the roles on the flanks he usually reprises at Bayern Munich.
So he can fit in well alongside the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres and Memphis Depay if he joins Barcelona. But the competition from Real Madrid will be a stumbling block Barcelona will need to overcome to secure the services of Gnabry in the summer transfer window. That said, Bayern Munich might be more receptive to an offer for Gnabry than Lewandowski this summer.
Kelechi Iheanacho
The last name on our list might be a bit of a left-of-centre call, but Kelechi Iheanacho is a player who can transform into the world-class striker he has promised to become since his days at Manchester City.
The Nigerian international might primarily be a striker, but he also plays well from the right flank. With Ousmane Dembele’s long-term future up in the air and the pursuit of Raphinha running into troubled waters, Iheanacho is a viable option for Barcelona to pursue in the summer transfer window.
The Leicester City striker is brimming with unexploited potential and needs a manager who trusts him to feature prominently to blossom into a top-notch attacker. Iheanacho has not been getting that thus far in his career, but playing under Xavi Hernandez might be what he needs for his career to flourish.
The 25-year-old is a reliable passer of the ball and holds the ball up smartly. So he is more than just a dependable goalscorer, as his versatility makes him an ideal fit in Xavi’s system at FC Barcelona. So in many ways, Iheanacho is the perfect striker for Barcelona to target as an alternative to Robert Lewandowski, even though he might not even be on their radar.
