With the 2026-27 season going to start in a matter of weeks, clubs across major European leagues are working on finalizing their squads for their upcoming campaigns. This is also the case for FC Barcelona, which still have some very important tasks yet to be completed, including the signing of a center-forward, while the club might also try to land a center-back.
In both these transfer operations, their fates seem to be closely tied with their La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid. [The Catalans have identified their star striker Julian Alvarez as the best-suited candidate to replace Robert Lewandowski](https://barcanewsnetwork.com/julian-alvarez-returns-to-atletico-amid-barcelona-transfer-saga/). Meanwhile, the Colchoneros are also being closely linked with the Argentine defender Cuti Romero, who is also liked by the Blaugranes.
In fact, latest reports indicate that the Tottenham center-back is close to joining Atletico Madrid. If this happens, Barcelona would not only lose one of their center-back options in the market, but as [MARCA](https://www.marca.com/futbol/atletico/2026/08/10/cuti-romero-refuerzo-julian.html) has noted, his signing can also cause the Catalans to lose the fight for Alvarez’s signing.
Despite the three-year difference in their ages, both the defender and the striker share a very close relationship. They won the World Cup together in 2022, and then again made their way to the final in this year’s edition of the tournament. The center-back has a great influence over the center-forward, and his presence can help normalize the latter’s situation in the Atletico Madrid dressing room.
Meanwhile, Alvarez also recognizes Romero as a great player, and believes having a player of his stature can elevate Atletico to the level of the most elite of European teams.
Thus, if Atletico Madrid ends up signing Cuti Romero, this could prove to be a double blow for Barcelona, as they will not only lose an option to strengthen their backline, but this operation can also hurt their chances of landing their top transfer target of the summer, Julian Alvarez.