Barcelona transfer news: Premier League alternative to Julian Alvarez 'gains traction'

Barcelona continue to regard Julian Alvarez as their primary attacking target, but the Catalan club are already working on an alternative scenario should Atletico Madrid refuse to negotiate over the Argentine.

While awaiting a resolution, Barcelona have initiated contact over Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi, the 20-year-old French striker.

The signing of a centre-forward is being treated as a priority by Hansi Flick, who wants a player offering greater mobility, pressing intensity and the ability to operate as a focal point in attack.

Kroupi enters the Barcelona conversation

In recent days, Barcelona's hierarchy have made contact to understand the conditions of a potential deal for Kroupi. The Frenchman has emerged as the primary plan B should the Alvarez operation fail to progress, according to Spanish newspaper Sport.

The budget set aside for a new number nine is approximately £85 million (€100 million). That is the ceiling the club have established regardless of which player is ultimately chosen.

Despite being highly rated by parts of the football department, Kroupi does not command unanimous support behind the scenes at the Camp Nou.

One group of officials believes the striker possesses the ideal characteristics for Flick's playing model and considers his potential justifies the investment. Another faction, however, feels that spending close to £85 million on a 20-year-old represents an elevated risk.

Last season, the Frenchman scored 13 goals in 35 appearances for Bournemouth and was one of the key figures in the campaign that secured the English club a place in European competition.

Bournemouth playing hardball over Kroupi

Even if Barcelona decide to press ahead with negotiations, the transfer promises to be far from straightforward.

Bournemouth are showing no willingness to sell their leading striker at this stage of the window. The English club's assessment is that a departure now would compromise their planning for next season, primarily due to the difficulty of finding a replacement before the start of the Premier League.

Furthermore, Kroupi's performances have also attracted interest from other European heavyweights, including Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.

Despite already studying alternatives, Barcelona continue to treat Julian Alvarez as the primary objective for the attacking department. The board's expectation is that the Argentine will attempt to speak with Atletico Madrid to explore the possibility of a transfer.

However, the Catalan club have no intention of waiting indefinitely.

The plan is to finalise the new centre-forward by early August, allowing Flick to have the reinforcement at his disposal for the closing stages of pre-season preparations.