A €30 million surprise! Barcelona find a replacement for Álvarez
Barcelona may have found a much cheaper route to solving their striker problem.
Details: According to Radio MARCA, Barcelona are considering Villarreal forward Ayoze Pérez as an alternative option if they fail to complete the signing of Julián Álvarez from Atlético Madrid. The report claims that Hansi Flick approves the profile of the 33-year-old Spanish attacker and would be open to adding him to his squad. Pérez, for his part, would reportedly be willing to push for a move if Barcelona make a concrete offer. Radio MARCA puts his release clause at around €30 million and adds that the figure could be negotiated with Villarreal.
The potential move is being considered as a fallback rather than Barcelona's first choice. Álvarez remains the major name linked with the Catalans' search for a new centre-forward, but Atlético have made negotiations difficult, forcing Barcelona to assess less expensive alternatives on the market.
Pérez remains tied to Villarreal on a long-term deal. The Spanish club officially announced when signing him from Real Betis in August 2024 that the forward had agreed a four-year contract running until June 2028. That gives Villarreal a strong negotiating position if Barcelona decide to turn their interest into an official approach.
It is worth noting that Pérez won the Zarra Trophy for the 2024/25 LaLiga season after scoring 19 league goals, finishing as the competition's highest-scoring Spanish player.
Reminder: Barcelona left without a striker. The Catalans have selected four candidates to boost their attack
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
