Lamine Yamal asks for a key signing to win the Champions League and Barça listens to him

Barça's sporting management, led by Deco, has been working tirelessly for months to find the ideal replacement for Robert Lewandowski. The Polish striker's contract ends in 2026 and he will most likely end his career at Barça. Lewandowski, who will turn 38 next August, will finish his career in Saudi Arabia, where he will be one of the highest-paid footballers on the planet.

Several names have appeared in the press, but most, such as Gyökeres or Alexander Isak, have ended up signing for Premier League teams. Lamine Yamal's presence is starting to carry weight at the club when it comes to signings, just as happened in the past with the Argentine Leo Messi. As the top figure in the squad, Lamine hasn't hesitated to request a signing he considers essential for 2026.

Lamine's influence was proven in the failed signing of Nico Williams, as the club was close to closing a deal for the winger from Navarre. Although Hansi Flick was of the opinion that his signing wasn't necessary and the budget wasn't available, Deco tried. Now, the La Masia product has requested that the club do everything possible to sign a reliable striker, and his choice is Julián Álvarez.

Julián Álvarez, essential

Lamine Yamal already knows he won't be able to share the locker room with his friend Nico Williams, but he hopes to do so with the Argentine Julián Álvarez. Lamine believes he's the ideal striker and that they can form a great partnership in the attacking area. The Argentine's intelligence, ability to link up, and goal-scoring instinct are indispensable qualities for the team.

His signing won't be easy, given that his release clause is set at €500 million, an unaffordable amount. At Barça, it is believed that Atlético could let him go for an amount close to €200M, and this would require a major sale. Joan Laporta will do everything possible to make the signing happen and is already starting to think of creative solutions.

Barça's big bet

Julián Álvarez's name is once again strongly featured on the blaugrana agenda for the summer of 2026, as Joan Laporta's main target. The interest isn't new; the culé president had already shown interest in the former Manchester City player, trying to sign him in 2024. Now, with Lewandowski reaching the end of his career at Barça, Laporta would be willing to carry out a multi-million euro operation.

With the departure of the Polish striker, Barça is aware that they need to bring in one of the best strikers to keep up with Europe's top clubs. With Lewandowski's exit, the club will get rid of one of the highest salaries in the squad, freeing up €26 million gross per year plus amortization. This margin will allow Barça to cover part of the operation, although they will need liquidity or strategic agreements to complete the signing.