Barcelona is not standing still on the market. In fact, their activities have not stopped since last summer. There is some movement within the office with Ter Stegen’s departure and Christensen’s replacement, but the contract horizon extends beyond that. One problem stands out above the others. The Catalan club has already moved to sign Juventus’ Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic. The former Fiorentina player’s contract expires in June 2026, making him one of the most expensive transfers in Serie A history at around 80 million euros, and Barcelona have already spent the transfer fee.
This is the first contact with which the Catalan club wants to take advantage of the market situation that has arisen. Last summer, an exhibition match between Vlahovic and Juventus ended with his contract not being renewed, but the player returned to the pitch knowing he was entering the final year of his contract. The intention is to acquire the player at zero cost (first option is to wait until the summer market) or negotiate an exit in the same market on very favorable terms (or do little now or nothing in the summer).
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Bala has been linked as a potential replacement for Lewandowski for some time, but Lewandowski’s future is still up in the air, with interest in the Serbian player on the table. Flick sees Ferran Torres as an essential striker, but the Polish player’s departure (unless he renews his contract) will leave a hole that Laporta wants to fill with a top-class player, and there aren’t as many opportunities on the market as cheaply as Blachowicz. The Serbian has a top-end contract at Juventus (one of the best in Serie A) and is well paid, although not at the same level as his time at the Italian champions.
Lewandowski is waiting
The Polish striker’s situation at Barcelona is unclear. Ferran Torres has beaten him in a lot of matches this year, and while the numbers are still good, they’re not impressive. He himself said in Poland last week that it was unclear what the club’s move would be. “I don’t talk to the manager about potential benefits from other clubs. It’s not a question of cutting my salary in half. The decision will depend on what the club wants and what I think is best. There’s still time to decide. I don’t feel any pressure and I don’t know which way to go now.”
Juventus’ numbers are bad
Vlahovic’s year at Juventus has not gone well. He has had a mix of starting appearances and notable substitute appearances, scoring just three goals in Serie A and three more in the Champions League so far. Additionally, he injured his adductor muscle just under a month ago and won’t be back on the pitch until the first game of 2026. At 25 years old and with his contract expiring in the summer, Barcelona moved quickly to sign a top-level striker (of which there aren’t that many in Europe) at a very low cost.
