Barcelona are reportedly weighing up the possibility of signing 20-year-old Uruguayan striker Agustin Alvarez in the January transfer window.
According to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona have turned their attention towards the Uruguayan market heading into the January transfer window in search of a striker. To that end, Agustin Alvarez has emerged as a viable target for the Catalan giants.
Agustin Alvarez Martinez spent most of his formative years with CA Penarol, having joined the Uruguayan club’s academy in 2012. And during his time in the Decano Manyas Aurinegros Carboneros Mirasoles’ youth setup, the 20-year-old was simply brilliant, scoring 113 goals in 170 age division games.
The young striker has drawn comparisons with Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani and has gone from strength to strength since making his first-team bow, amassing an excellent record of 23 goals and five assists in 40 appearances this season. At the same time, the young striker has also impressed in performances for the Uruguayan national side while popping up on the radar of several big-name clubs, including Barcelona.
The interest from Barcelona is understandable amid their desperate search for a striker. The Catalan giants have been forced to dip their toes in the transfer market for a centre-forward, as star striker Sergio Aguero has been sidelined with a heart condition.
While initial reports had claimed that the Argentine international could be forced to retire, those suggestions have been put to rest. Instead, Aguero will require specific treatment that will render him unavailable for several months, which is why Barcelona must sign a striker as soon as possible.
The Blaugrana’s need for a striker has also been accentuated by the fact that neither Martin Braithwaite nor Luuk de Jong is reliable as a regular option. As a result, several strikers have been heavily linked with Barcelona, including Julian Alvarez, with Agustin Alvarez also a viable target for the club.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the 20-year-old is ready to take the next step in his career by foraying into Europe, which gives Barcelona a major boost in his pursuit. However, the Uruguayan striker has also been linked with Real Madrid previously, and it will be interesting to see if the Merengues still hold an interest in him.
For now, Agustin Alvarez Martinez has emerged as the latest target for Barcelona, with Penarol demanding around €12 million for him. With the price tag being anything but excessive, Barcelona could afford to sign the 20-year-old Uruguayan international. It remains to be seen if his first experience in Europe is in La Liga.
