According to Spanish outlet Marca, Barcelona have all but given up on their pursuit of Julian Alvarez as a long-term replacement for striker Robert Lewandowski. The Argentina international is very happy and settled in Madrid and has no wish to leave, and Atletico are preparing a new long-term contract for him, with terms significantly approved.
Moving on from Alvarez, Barcelona now consider Chelsea’s Joao Pedro as their primary target for the role.
Pedro joined the Blues only last summer, arriving from Brighton for a reported fee of around £60million. In what has mostly been a disappointing season for the Blues, the 24-year-old has been a rare bright spot, with 28 goal contributions (19 goals and nine assists) in 46 appearances across all competitions.
Chelsea’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League next season are practically gone – they sit in eighth place, with 10 points separating them from Liverpool in fourth and Aston Villa in fifth, and with Pedro’s former club Brighton, as well as Bournemouth, squeezed in between.
In such circumstances, it’s easy to imagine Pedro being open to joining Barcelona this summer, but with no less than seven years remaining on his contract, Chelsea hold all the cards and certainly won’t sell cheap.
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