Barcelona settles on Lewandowski's successor

Football Espana revealed on Wednesday that Barcelona's management, led by sporting director Deco, has already begun planning for the 2026 summer transfer window, with two main priorities identified: signing a striker to replace Robert Lewandowski and strengthening the defense. The 2025-26 season is expected to be the last for 37-year-old Polish star Lewandowski with the Catalan club, as his contract expires in the summer of 2026, and the club does not appear ready to offer a new deal to the player, who will then be 38. According to the report, Deco considers signing a new "classic striker" an urgent task as part of his plans to build for the future. The website reported that club president Joan Laporta particularly admires Atletico Madrid's Argentine striker Julian Alvarez, who boasts versatility in several attacking positions and is a prolific goalscorer. However, the player's high market value could pose an obstacle to completing the deal, given the club's unstable financial situation. In addition to searching for a striker, Barcelona is also seeking to bolster its backline, especially after the failure to sign German defender Jonathan Tah and the unexpected departure of Spaniard Iñigo Martinez. The report indicated that Portuguese defender Goncalo Inácio, a Sporting Lisbon player, is one of the names attracting interest from the club's management, given his impressive performances this season.