Barcelona are in the market for a new striker this summer. The club’s hierarchy wants to add more quality in the goalscoring department despite signing Ferran Torres and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in January.
After being priced out of moves for Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, Barcelona had set their sights on Robert Lewandowski. But the operation to sign the Polish hitman has taken a difficult route, with the club now considering potential alternatives.
According to Fabrizio Romano, one of Barcelona’s favourite alternatives in their quest to sign a new number nine is Darwin Nunez.
The SL Benfica forward has been one of the rising stars in Europe this season, mesmerising the onlookers with his performances in the Portuguese league and even in the UEFA Champions League.
Since joining Benfica in 2020, Nunez has scored 47 goals in 82 competitive appearances for the Eagles, making him one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe.
Barcelona are among the clubs involved in the hunt for the Uruguayan international this summer. And earlier this month, they were handed a massive boost as the forward switched his agency, opting for Portuguese super-agent Jorge Mendes.
This could play into Barça’s hands as the club shares a good relationship with Mendes. Hence, the Catalans could enter the market for the SL Benfica forward this term, with the help of the Portuguese agent, who is also the representative of Adama Traore.
However, the operation could be made trickier by the forward’s hefty price tag, with Benfica holding out for a fee of around €75-80 million.
It is quite a fortune for a player who is yet to be tested in any of Europe’s top five leagues so far, potentially forcing Barcelona to explore other alternatives, including AC Milan’s Rafael Leao.
