Sports Mole published a report on 24th March 2026 citing the Spanish outlet Sport. The report shows that Barcelona have identified two firm transfer priorities for this summer. Specifically, they want a left-footed centre-back and a striker. Director Deco and the club hierarchy are already acting on both fronts with urgency.
Barcelona plot £120M double swoop
In defence, Barcelona’s first choice is Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni. The club hierarchy views the Italian as a technically outstanding centre-back. He fits Hansi Flick’s system perfectly. They see him as a guaranteed starter for the next decade. The Catalan club believe they can sign him for approximately £51m. They have already held a positive meeting with his agent. The agent appeared open to a move to Catalonia. Bastoni currently has a contract at Inter until June 2028.
In attack, Barcelona see Julian Alvarez as the ideal successor to Robert Lewandowski. The 25-year-old Argentine international combines goalscoring instinct with versatility. However, Atletico Madrid want over £68m for him. Barcelona refuse to pay more than £60m. This has created a genuine standoff. To make things more complicated, Alvarez’s statistics have dipped this season. This has created some internal doubts at the club.
If the Alvarez deal collapses, Barcelona have lined up Omar Marmoush as their Plan B. The Manchester City forward is available for around £43m. The combined cost for both signings reaches roughly £120m.
Does Marmoush’s Manchester City situation signal a deeper problem at the Etihad?
Marmoush arrived at Manchester City in January 2025. He was one of Europe’s most exciting forwards after a great stint at Eintracht Frankfurt. However, his story at the Etihad has taken a disappointing turn. The 26-year-old Egyptian international dominated the 2024-25 Bundesliga season. Now, Marmoush is a squad player rather than a regular starter. The fact that Barcelona view him as a £43m backup shows exactly how quickly his value has dropped in Manchester.
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City’s squad congestion and Pep Guardiola’s tactical changes have blunted several forwards lately. Marmoush matches this worrying trend. Barcelona value his pace and technical ability for Flick’s pressing system. This suggests the player still has genuine quality. This situation suggests that Manchester City’s structural issues prevent players from establishing clear roles. This looks like a systemic problem rather than a coincidence, given the club’s recent history with attacking signings.
