Signing a top-level striker is one of the goals of major European clubs for the upcoming summer.
FC Barcelona is currently immersed in an electoral process concluding on March 15. The club is considering options pending the announcement of the future president and what Robert Lewandowski will do when his contract as a Barça player ends in late June, just two months before his 38th birthday.
The most talked-about names around the club are Julián Álvarez from Atlético (26 years old) and Dusan Vlahovic, Serbian striker from Juventus, also 26, whose contract ends in June. In Italy, there is some disagreement about Vlahovic's intentions: on one hand, extending his contract with Juventus seems to be his primary option, but on the other, Barça is considered a feasible destination since he would be a free agent.
Italian outlet Tuttosport interviewed several experienced sports executives, including Ariedo Braida, who served as FC Barcelona's international market advisor from 2015 to 2019.
Braida pointed out that there is currently a significant shortage of strikers in the market. He expressed skepticism about what can truly be signed today and stressed that Vlahovic is a scorer, and finding others like him in Europe is difficult.
He also mentioned that young forwards like Jonathan David and Loïs Openda do not provide much security in terms of performance. Therefore, reconsidering Vlahovic's future might be an option for Juventus.
Braida suggested Juventus might keep Vlahovic and McKennie even at the cost of expensive contract renewals.
He concluded that in football, simplicity works: with a great goalkeeper, a strong central defender, an exceptional midfielder, and a goal-scoring striker, a team can compete to win.
Unlike his influence at Milan, Braida had a marginal role at FC Barcelona despite being hired for his knowledge of the international market and contacts.
