Barcelona's summer transfer business has taken a sharp turn in the past few hours. As reported by Mundo Deportivo, Chelsea attacker Joao Pedro has risen to the top of Deco's transfer shortlist, surpassing Julian Alvarez who had previously been the first choice.
Initially, the priority was Alvarez, but PSG's financial pressure have forced a tactical adjustment and a focus on the Brazilian at Stamford Bridge.
Julian Alvarez: The obstacle is money not desire.
It's no secret that Julian Alvarez wants to move to Barcelona following another silverware-less season with Atletico Madrid. The Catalan giants know their primary target will depart Atletico this summer, but the destination now boils down to finances rather than his own preference.
- The price tag: Barcelona will offer €100m for the attacker.
- PSG's interest: It has been stated that PSG will blow Barcelona's €100m offer out of the water which has made the transfer of Alvarez "extremely difficult" for Deco, whose budgets would never stretch this high.
- Atletico's decision: Following yet another season without silverware, Atletico are prepared to cash in on the Argentine forward, but this time they will accept the highest bidder in order to fund their own rebuilding.
Joao Pedro's ascension
With the Julian Alvarez deal now seeming increasingly unlikely to come to fruition, it has emerged that contacts have intensified between Chelsea and Barcelona for Joao Pedro. Deco believes that Chelsea's forward is a flexible alternative and one that would fit Hansi Flick's requirements for high-intensity and fluid forward system.
- Direct Communication: In recent days, there have been reports that communication between Barcelona and Chelsea regarding Joao Pedro is now moving beyond tentative approaches.
- Tactical Profile: Not an out-and-out number 9, Pedro possesses the ability to drop deeper, link up the play and be effective on the wing; attributes that Flick desires in his fluid front three.
- Financial Viability: Chelsea would obviously demand a significant fee for their player but the total package for Joao Pedro is likely to be more realistic for Barcelona's '1:1 rule' targets than that of the intensifying bidding war for Alvarez.
Deco's gambit
Deco's immediate change of priority is a crucial tactic. It will prevent the Catalan giants from lingering around Atletico in a transfer window they will not win in terms of finance and instead will prepare the club for an alternative solution.
Barcelona's overall target is to land a world-class attacker to fill Robert Lewandowski's boots, without the entire operation exceeding €100m-110m.
If PSG continue to drive Alvarez's price tag closer to €120m then Joao Pedro will become the face of Barcelona's 2026/27 attacking force.
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