Barcelona could be forced to turn their attention to Sporting Lisbon striker Luis Suarez if their pursuit of Julian Alvarez hits a dead end.
Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Suarez is now part of Barcelona’s shortlist as an alternative striking option this summer window.
The Colombia international has been one of Europe’s most productive forwards, scoring 38 goals in 53 games across all competitions in his debut season at Sporting Lisbon.
Before his move to Sporting, Suarez also gained experience in La Liga with Almeria, netting 41 goals in 79 appearances, though a portion of those came in Spain’s second division.
Romano was clear that signing Suarez would not be straightforward, describing him as a key player for Sporting and noting that Barcelona would only seriously consider other options if progress on the Alvarez deal remains stalled.
“EXCLUSIVE: Barcelona consider Sporting striker Luis Suárez among options — if Julián Álvarez deal doesn’t happen. Not easy as key player for Sporting but part of Barça shortlist. Barça will only consider Suárez/more options from next week — if Julián deal is still off,” Romano posted on X.
The development carries significant implications for Arsenal, who have also been strongly linked with Atletico Madrid’s Alvarez by the Independent and other outlets.
Barcelona’s pursuit of Alvarez faces a natural obstacle in that Atletico Madrid are unlikely to be keen on selling a key asset to a direct La Liga rival.
That internal rivalry complication could work in Arsenal’s favour, potentially giving the Premier League club a clearer run at signing the Argentina international.
There has even been talk, as reported by the Times, that Arsenal could explore a swap deal involving Viktor Gyokeres as part of any move to secure Alvarez from Atletico.
Gyokeres only arrived at Arsenal last summer, but the Sweden international has received mixed reviews despite contributing to a Premier League title win and a Champions League final appearance under Mikel Arteta.
An upgrade on Gyokeres would be welcomed by many Arsenal supporters, though parting ways with him after just a single season would represent a difficult decision for the club.
If Barcelona ultimately turn to Suarez instead, the ripple effect across the striker market could be considerable, with several clubs watching the situation develop closely.
The coming week looks set to be decisive, with Romano indicating that Barcelona’s pursuit of alternative targets only becomes active if the Alvarez deal remains stalled beyond that point.
The post Fabrizio Romano Links Barcelona With Luis Suarez As Julian Alvarez Pursuit Threatens To Reshape Arsenal’s Transfer Plans appeared first on Gooner Daily.
