Barcelona's Pursuit of Striker Nicolo Tresoldi: New Target After Alvarez Collapse
Barcelona’s search for a No. 9 has taken a sharp turn, and the trail now runs through Belgium.
According to COPE journalist Victor Navarro, Club Brugge striker Nicolo Tresoldi has moved onto Barça’s radar as an option for the centre-forward role, with the German U21 international described as “very, very much liked” by the club’s hierarchy.
From Álvarez collapse to a new target
The shift comes straight after the definitive collapse of Barcelona’s pursuit of Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez. Atletico CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin has shut that door completely, forcing Hansi Flick and sporting director Deco to speed up their work on alternative strikers.
Lautaro Martinez of Inter Milan has emerged as the preferred choice. Inside the club, there is broad agreement on the Argentine as the ideal No. 9, and the La Liga champions are ready to push hard to bring him in.
But they know they need more than one card on the table. That is where Tresoldi comes in.
The 21-year-old is one of the leading alternative options, with influential figures at the club rating him highly and tracking his development closely.
A rapid rise in Belgium
Tresoldi first broke through at Hannover 96, but it is his move to Club Brugge that has turned him into one of the most talked-about young strikers in Europe.
Since arriving in the summer of 2025, his rise has been rapid.
In his debut 2025/26 campaign, he played a decisive role in delivering the Belgian Pro League title to Jan Breydel Stadium. Across all competitions, he racked up 23 goals and 9 assists, numbers that pushed him from promising youngster into serious prospect territory.
He has not eased off. In the current 2026/27 season, Tresoldi has already started strongly, with three goals in his first three games. That early burst has only reinforced his image as one of Europe’s most clinical young finishers.
Clubs have noticed. Scouts have followed. And Barcelona are now firmly among the admirers.
The price of potential
Landing him, though, will be anything but straightforward.
Tresoldi only joined Club Brugge last summer and is tied to a long-term contract running until 2039. The Belgian champions hold a strong negotiating position and are under no pressure to sell.
Their stance is clear: they want a fee in excess of €40 million. They have already turned down a substantial offer from AS Roma earlier in the window, signalling they will not be rushed or bullied into a cut-price deal.
Barcelona, then, know exactly what they are walking into. Lautaro Martinez remains the big swing. But if that move stalls or collapses, the question becomes simple: how far are they willing to go to turn admiration for Nicolo Tresoldi into a concrete bid?
