Barcelona draw up three-man shortlist as Julian Alvarez transfer on the verge of collapse

Barcelona are reportedly preparing to move on from their pursuit of Julian Alvarez, with the Atletico Madrid forward now believed to be out of reach.

As previously reported, the Julian Alvarez to Barcelona transfer is said to be “99% off the table”, forcing the Catalan giants to look elsewhere for a striker.

As a result, according to El Chiringuito TV, Barcelona have already identified three alternative options as they consider their next move. 

Villarreal forward Georges Mikautadze, his teammate Ayoze Perez and Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez are all reportedly on the club’s shortlist.

However, each of the three names presents a different challenge, whether it is the transfer fee, the timing of a potential deal or Barcelona’s own level of interest.

Hansi Flick has reservations over Mikautadze

Of the three players mentioned, Georges Mikautadze appears to have strong backing from Barcelona sporting director Deco.

The Villarreal striker has impressed enough for Deco to become convinced that he could be a useful addition to the Barcelona attack. 

Ayoze Perez is on Barcelona’s radar. (Photo by Ahmad Mora/Getty Images)

Yet the operation does not currently have the same level of support from Hansi Flick.

The Barcelona manager is not fully convinced by the idea of signing Mikautadze and “does not see it clearly” at this stage. 

Furthermore, Mikautadze’s price is another issue. Any Barcelona transfer for the forward would reportedly require an investment of at least €70 million, making him a major financial commitment.

Perez and Martinez also present complications

Meanwhile, Ayoze Perez represents a very different type of opportunity.

The Villarreal forward could reportedly be available for between €10 million and €15 million, making him by far the cheaper option on Barcelona’s reported shortlist.

However, his potential arrival could be linked to Barcelona’s longer-term plans for Julian Alvarez.

Lautaro Martinez to Barcelona is a long shot. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

The Blaugrana may have accepted that a move for the Argentine is unlikely to happen now, but the report suggests they could return for him in January or even wait until 2027. 

Perez could therefore be viewed as a more affordable solution while Barcelona keep the door open for another attempt to sign Alvarez in the future.

Then there is Lautaro Martinez.

The Inter Milan star has been linked with Barcelona on several occasions over the years and would bring proven quality at the highest level. 

But unlike Mikautadze, there has been no concrete move from Barcelona to sign the Argentine.

Therefore, for now, there appears to be little evidence that a serious Lautaro Martinez to Barcelona operation is underway.