Barcelona Draws Up Plan B: Kroupi as Fallback for Álvarez

Barcelona are pressing ahead with their search for a new No. 9 following Robert Lewandowski's move to Chicago Fire. Club president Joan Laporta confirmed that an official bid for Julián Álvarez has been submitted but was rejected by Atlético Madrid. Laporta stressed the offer remains on the table but will not stay open indefinitely. Meanwhile, the Catalan giants have begun exploring alternatives. The name on their radar is Eli Kroupi, a 20-year-old French striker who joined Bournemouth last summer from Lorient for €15 million. His debut season was a breakout: 13 goals in 35 appearances. Bournemouth, however, are reluctant to let him go and have slapped a price tag in excess of €100 million. Head coach Hansi Flick is determined to reshape his frontline. Barcelona have won back-to-back La Liga titles but stumbled in the Champions League. The situation is further complicated by the contract impasse with Ferran Torres. The Spaniard - who scored the winner in the 2022 World Cup final - is tied until 2027, but no extension talks have progressed, and Paris Saint-Germain are monitoring developments keenly. Barcelona have already secured deals for Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi, but a classic centre-forward remains the missing piece. Whether Kroupi becomes that man - and at what cost - is the question dominating the Camp Nou corridors.