Ended up high on the wish list after sending Barcelona out of the Champions League
Marca is shocked that there is now a real possibility that Barcelona will hijack one of the players responsible for their elimination from the Champions League.
The player in question is Alexander Sørloth, who under Diego Simeone’s leadership has spent far too much time on the bench for Atlético Madrid.
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Barça are interested in signing Alexander Sørloth after being “beaten” on several occasions by the Norwegian striker, who is in the running as a replacement for Robert Lewandowski – the latter has an expiring contract.
Now that Barcelona are out of the Champions League, the focus is back on keeping the lead in La Liga all the way in. The first leg is in just over a week away at the Estadio Coliseum against Getafe.
Barcelona makes formal request
The transfer market could offer an unexpected manoeuvre at FC Barcelona’s offices. As revealed in Matteo Moretto’s section of La Pizarra de Quintana, the Catalan club has sent a formal request for Alexander Sorloth, the striker of Atlético Madrid. The sporting directors want to hedge their backs against the uncertainty surrounding Robert Lewandowski, who has tempting offers from outside Europe and will have to decide whether to accept a pay cut. The Norwegian’s profile, with a contract until 2028, convinces due to his technical similarity to the Pole and his ability to immediately adapt to Hansi Flick’s system.
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Highlights of Robert Lewandowski’s career:
- One of the all-time highest-scoring strikers with over 650 goals for club and country
- Top scorer in the Bundesliga for several seasons in a row with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich
- Won the Champions League with Bayern Munich in 2020, where he was also the tournament’s top scorer
- Named FIFA World Player of the Year in 2020 and 2021
- Has scored over 60 Champions League goals and is considered one of the most complete strikers in history
The numbers involved in the operation
This possible buy-in is not the only big manoeuvre in Barcelona, as the defence is also undergoing a major change. Alessandro Bastoni has already given his “yes” to the Blaugrana project, and personal conditions will not be an obstacle. The real challenge lies in the negotiations with Inter, where the name of Héctor Fort has become very important. The Italians have been following the youngster for a while, and his inclusion in the deal, along with an amount close to €55 million, could be the key to the Italian centre-back donning the Blaugrana shirt next season.
While Barcelona define their priorities, other European fronts are starting to clear, such as the case of Dani Ceballos. The Real Madrid midfielder seems to be living on borrowed time at the Santiago Bernabéu, and his destination is directly linked to Amsterdam. Ajax, under the strategic leadership of Jordi Cruyff, are betting heavily on the Spaniard to lead a new project that will revive combined football. Meanwhile, Madrid is closely watching the development of Chema Andrés in Stuttgart. Although it is expected that the youngster will continue to develop in the Bundesliga for another year, the big European clubs have already started positioning themselves for a possible return to the Spanish elite in 2027.
When it comes to departures and coaching benches, the national scene offers last-minute strategic moves. The possibility of Marcus Rashford activating his €35 million clause at Barcelona has cooled dramatically, forcing the club to look at other options. At the same time, Atlético Madrid are focusing their efforts on securing Julián Álvarez with a significant salary increase to ward off external temptations. Finally, the coaching merry-go-round accelerates: Íñigo Pérez emerges as the favourite for the Villarreal bench, while Jagoba Arrasate is strongly linked with Rayo Vallecano, and Athletic Club are exploring the possibility with Edin Terzić, given Andoni Iraola’s determination to continue his career in the Premier League.
The Sørloth link and the Champions League drama
Alexander Sørloth could make a surprising move in La Liga. According to Marca, Barcelona have been in talks to sign the 30-year-old, who currently plays for Atlético Madrid.
As recently as Tuesday, the Spanish rivals met in the Champions League, where Sørloth ran through the Catalans’ defense in the final phase of the match and was felled by Eric Garcia. The latter received a red card, and afterwards “Barça” has reported the referee’s action to UEFA. Alexander Sørloth accounted for one of the goals in the first quarter-final.
Highlights from Alexander Sørloth’s career:
- Joined Atlético Madrid from Villarreal in the summer of 2024
- Has previously played for clubs such as Real Sociedad, Red Bull Leipzig and Crystal Palace
- Was the top scorer in La Liga in the 2023/24 season with Villarreal, where he scored an impressive 23 goals
- Has a legacy as one of Norway’s foremost strikers of all time with over 20 national team goals
- This season, Sørloth has scored 17 goals in a total of 47 appearances for Atlético Madrid across all competitions
- Has a unique physique and header strength that makes him a constant threat in the opponent’s box
Throughout his career, the Norwegian has proven to be a sensational goalscorer in La Liga, and it is precisely his ability to decide games that has now made him a hot candidate for Barcelona.
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