Barcelona are rivalling Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa in the pursuit of Hoffenheim striker Fisnik Asllani, according to a report.
TBR claim Asllani’s superb displays in Germany have caught the attention of a host of clubs, with Barcelona eager to win the chase. The 23-year-old only joined Hoffenheim from Elversberg in June but Barca have already identified him as a potential replacement for Robert Lewandowski.
Barca are believed to be ‘leading the race’ to sign Asllani but must work hard to stop him from heading to the Premier League, due to the huge spending power of English clubs.
Fisnik Asllani transfer: Need to know
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As per TBR, scouts at elite clubs are ‘purring’ about Asllani’s performances, while he has ‘massively stood out via analytics’.
Barca have added Asllani to their striker shortlist, viewing him as a cheaper option than the likes of Serhou Guirassy and Julian Alvarez.
Hansi Flick needs a replacement for Lewandowski as the Pole’s contract expires in June and might not be renewed.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are weighing up a new striker signing as Joao Pedro has struggled since Liam Delap’s injury. Pedro seems to be a better fit in the No 10 role, so Asllani could rival Delap and Marc Guiu for a spot at centre-forward.
For Villa, Ollie Watkins has received criticism this season, resulting in the search for a new No 9, while Tottenham appreciate the likes of Richarlison and Dominic Solanke cannot always be relied upon.
Hoffenheim are viewed as a stepping stone club and they will look to make huge profit when selling the Kosovo international. Asllani could follow in the footsteps of Joelinton, Roberto Firmino and Georginio Rutter by leaving Hoffenheim for bigger and better things.
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Asllani could be cheap option for Barcelona
Asllani’s exact price tag has yet to emerge, though some reports have suggested his release clause is under €30million (£26m / $35m).
Asllani built on his growing reputation over the international break, scoring the winning goal for Kosovo against Sweden as the likes of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres faltered.
Barca’s interest in the player seems to be legitimate. It was first reported by Sky Germany’s trusted journalist Florian Plettenberg, and has now been followed up by TBR’s Graeme Bailey.
Asllani is clearly a rising star who looks set to reach the pinnacle of German football, but he is not yet ready to take up Lewandowski’s mantle.
Julian Alvarez would be a far better fit as he is already a world-class striker and is Atletico Madrid’s talisman. Borussia Dortmund ace Guirassy has plenty more experience than Asllani and is currently playing for a bigger club too.
Asllani vs Alvarez vs Guirassy: Who’s best?
Admittedly, Asllani was playing in Germany’s second tier last season, but he still caught the attention of scouts by registering 19 goals and 10 assists in 37 appearances.
Guirassy was the best out of the three in the 2024-25 campaign, hitting 38 goals in 50 matches. Alvarez managed 29 strikes in 57 outings.
There is only a relatively small sample size from this season, but it is definitely worth looking at.
Asllani has stepped up to the German top flight brilliantly, managing five goals in his first eight appearances. His four Bundesliga goals put him level with Guirassy, though the latter has done it in one less game.
Alvarez has found the back of the net seven times in 11 matches so far and was unlucky not to score at least once during Atleti’s recent Champions League defeat to Arsenal.
Alvarez is the best all-round player out of the three, with the ability to score from almost anywhere. Guirassy is the best poacher, while Asllani is a bit behind in terms of his development and may be a better option in future years.
Alvarez is reportedly Barca’s dream target, and they received a lift in their pursuit of him on Thursday. But the Argentine will cost insane money, which could see Barca swoop for another option – such as Guirassy – instead. Indeed, Manchester City are on alert as Guirassy’s release clause has supposedly dropped.
Other options include Levante starlet Karl Etta Eyong and Dusan Vlahovic of Juventus.
Vlahovic is a particularly interesting target as he is preparing to leave Juve when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Landing the Serbian on a free would save Barca big money to spend on other areas of the squad.