Barcelona have already determined the type of striker they are looking for if they fail to sign Julian Alvarez and have been closely following Mallorca’s Kosovo striker Vedat Muriqi, La Liga’s second-highest scorer, for weeks, although there has been no official contact with his representatives yet.

Barça already have a clear idea of ​​the type of striker they want to sign this summer if they ultimately fail to secure their main target: Julián Alvarez from Atletico Madrid. The Catalan club admit that the operation will not be easy and, for this reason, are working on alternatives that fit a very specific idea: a tall number 9 with a commanding presence in the box and experience at elite level.

According to information from the Catalan newspaper SPORT, one of the alternatives that has emerged is Vedat Muriqi, the Kosovar striker for Mallorca, who is having a great season. At 31 years old, the Kosovar star has become one of the main players in the league, currently the second best scorer and essential for his team’s competitiveness.

At 1.94 meters tall, he is a very different profile to the one that Barça currently has, but precisely for this reason, he is attractive: he dominates in the air, keeps the central defenders in his arms and has a nose for goal.

Still no official contacts

Sources consulted by this newspaper assure that the Catalan club have already made inquiries through intermediaries to determine his situation, although no direct contact has yet been made with the player’s representatives.

Muriqi, aware of the interest he is generating after his excellent performances, prefers to focus on finishing the season strongly before making any decision.

The player has a release clause of 40 million euros, although sources close to the player, whose contract expires in 2029, suggest that he could leave for a significantly lower amount depending on how Mallorca’s sporting situation evolves. However, Barça continues to monitor the player and is evaluating Muriqi’s performance until the end of the season before making a final decision. This approach is part of a common market strategy, where the terms of the negotiations can vary depending on the situation of each club. In this case, Barça has been monitoring the situation for weeks because they believe that, if Mallorca are relegated to La Liga, the price could drop even further.