Who Should Barcelona Sign to Replace Robert Lewandowski This Summer?

Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski’s contract expires in the summer, and the expectation is that he will leave on a free transfer. If that happens, Barca will be in the market for a top striker, a replacement for “the best No 9 of the last decade,” as Hansi Flick described the 37-year-old.

Lewandowski has been transformative since arriving from Bayern Munich in summer 2022. Barcelona had gone three years without a league title, finishing 2021-22 with 73 points—their lowest total since 2007-08, the season before Pep Guardiola’s appointment.

Since then, they’ve won La Liga twice, under Xavi in 2022-23 and Flick last season, with Lewandowski’s ruthless goalscoring central to both titles. He has scored 109 goals in 165 appearances for Barca.

But it’s not just his clinical edge. Barcelona’s starting lineups average 25.3 years old this season—the youngest in La Liga. Lewandowski’s experience and winning mentality have been crucial in galvanizing this young squad.

Finding a replacement is tough. The market for world-class center-forwards is thin, with proven goalscorers tied to long-term deals at elite clubs. Barcelona’s precarious finances make it unclear how much they can spend this summer.

The Challenge of Replacing Lewandowski

Robert Lewandowski’s impact extends beyond his impressive goal tally. His intelligent off-ball movement, clinical finishing, and ability to occupy center-backs while creating space for runners have been fundamental to Barcelona’s attacking system.

Replacing his on-field production alongside leadership and winning mentality represents a daunting challenge for sporting director Deco and president Joan Laporta.

Option 1: Julian Alvarez – The Dream Signing

If money were no object, Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez would be Barcelona president Joan Laporta’s dream signing. It’s easy to see why: Alvarez has thrived in Spain since signing from Manchester City in August last year, quickly justifying his €95 million fee.

Head coach Diego Simeone has been effusive, hailing the Argentina international as Atleti’s “best player” and “difference-maker” after the 25-year-old scored a hat-trick in a 3-2 league win against Rayo Vallecano in September.

Much of that difference-making shows up in front of goal. Since the start of last season, only three players have scored more La Liga goals than Alvarez’s 24, a list that includes Lewandowski himself with 35.

But Alvarez offers qualities that mark him out as a very different striker to Lewandowski. Where Lewandowski’s off-ball movement is defined by subtle, intelligent movements, Alvarez brings a far more high-energy approach out of possession.

Counter-pressing, defined as applying pressure within three seconds of losing possession, is a fundamental part of Barcelona’s game, particularly under Flick, whose teams play with a notoriously high defensive line. That high line has been vulnerable this season, and Alvarez’s willingness to chase back would make Barcelona less porous through the thirds.

His work rate could also have positive effects further forward, allowing Lamine Yamal to conserve his energy for decisive moments in attack.

For a versatile, technically gifted and hard-working goalscorer, Barcelona would be hard-pressed to find anyone better. Atletico are well aware of that, and any move would require their rivals to cough up a huge fee.

Option 2: Evanilson – The Physical Presence

If Flick instead wants a pure No 9, there are doubts over whether Alvarez, for all his gifts, fits that bill. Alvarez is physically slighter than Lewandowski and rarely leads the line alone for Atletico, instead often dovetailing with the more imposing Alexander Sorloth.

One of Alvarez’s less effective performances this season came against Barcelona themselves—a 3-1 defeat where he started as a lone striker and struggled to provide a reliable outlet.

A more physically dominant penalty-box striker could better serve Barcelona’s needs, helping to bring their wide players into play by occupying center-backs and creating space for runners around him, as Lewandowski does. Bournemouth forward Evanilson represents a cut-price alternative that fits this profile.

Evanilson’s goal record does not inspire confidence. He has scored just 12 times since the start of last season and has underperformed his expected goals by 4.6—the worst figure in the Premier League over that period, a level of wastefulness unlikely to be tolerated at the Camp Nou.

But despite his profligacy, Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola has been keen to highlight the 26-year-old’s broader contribution. After a 4-2 win over Wolves last season, in which Evanilson failed to score, Iraola said: “Evanilson made the difference today. He was fighting with the center-backs and the goalkeeper. He was phenomenal.”

Intense pressing is non-negotiable under Iraola, and Evanilson would carry that same defensive commitment into Barca’s front line, along with his dominant physicality and excellent ability to link play.

While his finishing would need dramatic improvement, Evanilson’s physical profile and work rate could make him an intriguing gamble if budget constraints force Barcelona to look beyond the obvious elite targets.

Option 3: Harry Kane – The Complete Forward

What about an option that combines the instincts of a No 9 with the creativity of a No 10? Step forward, Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane.

Kane used to operate as a pure penalty-box striker like Lewandowski, but he has dropped deeper since moving to the Bundesliga. His playmaking has been exceptional, often resembling an NFL quarterback as he sprays passes from deep into Bayern’s wide areas.

Remarkably, that creative influence has not blunted his goalscoring, with a staggering 30 goals in 25 appearances for Vincent Kompany’s side this season. Kane’s evolution into a complete forward who can score and create makes him an ideal Lewandowski replacement.

There is no indication Kane, who turns 33 in July, is pushing for a move from Bavaria, having told Bild it is “very unlikely” he will leave at the end of the season. However, his contract includes a €65 million release clause that could become active in the summer, provided he notifies Bayern by the end of the upcoming winter transfer window.

If that clause is triggered, Barcelona would have a ready-made solution that might just be within their spending power. Kane’s combination of goalscoring prowess and creative ability would offer Flick tactical flexibility that could prove invaluable.

Option 4: Samu Aghehowa – The High-Risk, High-Reward Gamble

The biggest gamble on this list, 21-year-old Samu Aghehowa, is flying for Porto, already scoring nine goals from 14 Primeira Liga games this season.

Goals scored in Portugal do not always carry over to a higher level, as Viktor Gyokeres has found since leaving Sporting CP for Arsenal, but the potential with Samu is obvious. “He has all the characteristics to be a top No 9,” said manager Francesco Farioli at a recent press conference.

Samu is a typical power forward, focusing primarily on explosive runs in behind and attacking the box rather than dropping into deeper areas. His game still needs refining, and there is a rawness to his first touch, but Samu’s physicality and clean ball-striking make him a real handful.

It is unlikely he is ready to lead a line like Barcelona’s just yet, but even with Lewandowski’s potential departure, Flick’s side may not require a finished article immediately. Their other current option at center-forward is Ferran Torres, who sits second in La Liga’s scoring charts with 11 goals and has shown himself to be more than a capable deputy.

If finding a like-for-like replacement for Lewandowski proves extraordinarily difficult and prohibitively expensive, investing instead in potential, while allowing Torres to shoulder the immediate responsibility, could give a young striker like Samu the environment to develop into Barcelona’s next long-term No 9.

The Ferran Torres Factor

Barcelona’s search for a Lewandowski replacement is somewhat eased by the emergence of Ferran Torres as a reliable goalscoring option. The Spanish international sits second in La Liga’s scoring charts with 11 goals this season, demonstrating he can carry significant attacking responsibility.

Torres’ form means Barcelona could afford to take a developmental approach with a younger signing like Samu, or wait for the perfect opportunity rather than making a panic purchase. His versatility and proven La Liga pedigree provide insurance against an immediate replacement failing to adapt.

Barcelona face one of the most consequential transfer decisions in recent memory as they prepare for life after Robert Lewandowski. The Polish striker’s transformative impact since 2022—109 goals, two La Liga titles, and invaluable leadership—sets an impossibly high bar for any successor.

Julian Alvarez represents the dream scenario: a proven La Liga goalscorer with elite work rate and technical quality. However, extracting him from Atletico Madrid would require an astronomical fee that Barcelona’s precarious finances may not support.

Harry Kane offers a more affordable alternative if his release clause activates, combining world-class finishing with exceptional creativity. At 33, he would provide several elite seasons while Barcelona develop a longer-term solution.

Evanilson and Samu Aghehowa represent gambles at opposite ends of the spectrum—one a proven Premier League physical presence with questionable finishing, the other a raw but explosive Portuguese prospect. Both would rely heavily on Ferran Torres continuing his excellent form while the new signing adapts.

Ultimately, Barcelona’s choice will depend on financial realities that remain unclear. What is certain is that replacing one of the greatest strikers of his generation will define their trajectory for years to come.

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