Barcelona identify 27-year-old Greek striker as an alternative target – report

Barcelona identify 27-year-old Greek striker as an alternative target – report According to Cadena SER , FC Barcelona have identified Benfica forward Vangelis Pavlidis as an option to reinforce their attacking line, as the Catalan club’s pursuit of primary targets faces significant complications. With operations for their preferred high-profile strikers hitting roadblocks, the Greek international has emerged as a viable and proven alternative for the Blaugrana’s sporting department. Difficulties with Alvarez and Kroupi Barcelona’s search for a new centre-forward has been defined by frustration in recent weeks. The club’s priority target, Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez, remains elusive, with the Spanish capital side firmly rejecting Barcelona’s opening approaches and insisting that he is not for sale . Simultaneously, alternative plans to sign Bournemouth’s young talent Eli Junior Kroupi have also stalled, with the Premier League side declaring the 20-year-old untouchable and refusing to negotiate a summer exit. Pavlidis: The Plan C? The Plan C? (Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images) Faced with these deadlocks, Barcelona have turned their attention to Pavlidis, a player who has already demonstrated his lethality against them on the biggest stage. The 27-year-old striker could be a more attainable and experienced option compared to the younger Kroupi. Pavlidis is coming off a sensational 2025/26 campaign with SL Benfica, where he cemented his status as one of Europe’s most consistent goalscorers. He finished the season as the top scorer in the Primeira Liga, netting 22 goals in 33 league appearances. His overall output was equally impressive, recording a total of 30 goals in 53 matches across all competitions. A deadly performance in Lisbon Pavlidis scored a brilliant hat-trick vs Barcelona in 2025. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images) Barcelona’s staff need no introduction to Pavlidis’s quality. The Greek forward single-handedly dismantled their defence during a Champions League group stage encounter in January 2025. In a blistering display at the Estádio da Luz, Pavlidis scored a first-half hat-trick within just 30 minutes, terrorising the backline in a chaotic 5-4 thriller. That performance, which stands as the third-fastest hat-trick in Champions League history from the start of a match, will likely still be fresh in the memory of the Camp Nou hierarchy as they weigh up a formal move. For now, though, he is not a priority as focus still remains on Alvarez.