One way of looking at things at Barcelona is that if it’s not broken, don’t try to fix it.
In Spain at least, the pressure is on Real Madrid and other rivals to find a way to get on their level. Hansi Flick’s system has been unstoppable in La Liga since his arrival two summers ago. The Champions League, however, is another question.
What we know for sure is that Robert Lewandowski is leaving, and Ferran Torres alone can’t replace him. How big Barcelona’s ambitions should be on the market will be the question of the summer.
Julián Alvarez is the perfect signing. We can go around in circles considering other options, but tactically and philosophically, the Argentinian looks tailor made for the Camp Nou.
(Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP via Getty Images)
(Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
He would be expensive, perhaps prohibitively so. We shouldn’t pretend, however, that most alternatives, like João Pedro would be much cheaper. Both signings would require considerable financial engineering. Alvarez is the only player I can think of who may be worth the effort in pursuing a formula.
First step, Alvarez would have to really want to come to Barcelona, and he would have to put pressure on Atlético Madrid. Without that, the conversation becomes moot.
You’d have to imagine that Alvarez sees what everyone else can. He would fit Barca like a glove, and with Flick in charge, there is a real opportunity to reach superstardom. It’s confounding to consider how and why he arrived at Atleti to begin with, except to concede that at the end of the day money talks, and the summer he made the move, the Colchoneros went on a spending spree.
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(Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
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The second step in the process is that Barcelona would have to make sales. This is where it gets tricky because it highlights that bringing in Alvarez isn’t just about what he adds, but what he subtracts from Barcelona.
It would take more than letting loose a few players who are obviously surplus to requirements, like Marc Casadó or even Ferran Torres. It would mean making the hard decisions of moving on reliable parts of the starting eleven. Jules Kounde and Frenkie de Jong come to mind. Maybe even Raphinha if that’s the only thing that can get the job done of making the math work.
To that end, would it be worth it, or does it become too big of a risk? At that point, you’re perhaps messing too much with a foundation that has proven to work.
(Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
(Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
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What the Alvarez conversation is really about is whether Barcelona should go down the path of big structural change or simply tinker with the stucture that’s already there.
Going for Alvarez means going big, and building around him for the future, as a part of the core nucleus of the team alongside Lamine Yamal and Pedri. In other words, if you do it, it better work or there will be consequences.
If you don’t go for him, then I think Barcelona may have to settle for more pragmatic signings. Marcus Rashford at least, even at 30 million euros, is good value compared to what João Pedro would cost. You of course still need to bring in another forward or two, but maybe it doesn’t have to be a classic number nine, since the good ones are so few and far between anyway.
(Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
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Defense is where Barcelona could really get the biggest bang for their buck in terms of strengthening their chances to win more titles. The Blaugrana, afterall, haven’t stopped outscoring everyone in Spain by a mile.
If not Alvarez, then that’s where the investment should go.
These aren’t easy choices. Barcelona have to be humble and realistic about where they still stand as a club.
Prudence, at the end of the day, is probably the best principle to apply when the time comes to decide.
If Barcelona has learned anything from the past, it’s that you can’t spend your way to winning trophies.