Report: 33-year-old Spanish forward is not a target for Barcelona

Report: 33-year-old Spanish forward is not a target for Barcelona Barcelona’s search for a new striker continues to generate several names, but one of the players recently linked with a move to the club is not under consideration. According to transfer journalist Matteo Moretto (h/t FCB World ), Villarreal forward Ayoze Perez is not a Barcelona target, despite recent reports suggesting that the Spaniard had emerged as a possible alternative to Julián Alvarez. Barcelona’s striker plans have been under the spotlight in recent days following a major setback in their pursuit of Alvarez. The Atletico Madrid forward was seen as one of the club’s key targets, but the latest information suggests the Julian Alvarez to Barcelona transfer is now “99 per cent off the table” .  With Atletico unwilling to open the door to a sale, Barcelona have naturally been linked with several alternative options in the transfer market. Ayoze Perez was one of the names mentioned, although those rumours have been put to rest. Ayoze Perez was seen as a cheaper alternative The Villarreal forward had been presented as an interesting option for Barcelona, largely because of his potential price. Ayoze Perez is not an option for Barcelona. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images) In fact, as reported before, Perez could be available for between €10 million and €15 million , making him significantly more affordable than most of the other forwards linked with the Catalan club. Notably, the 33-year-old could also have made sense as part of a longer-term strategy. Barcelona may have accepted that signing Julian Alvarez is unlikely to be possible in the current transfer window, but the club could revisit the situation in January or even wait until 2027. In that scenario, a lower-cost signing such as Perez could have offered Barcelona a short-term solution at centre-forward without closing the door on another attempt to sign Álvarez later. That was the logic behind the recent Barcelona transfer links. But according to Moretto, the reports were not accurate.  The Spanish forward is currently not part of Barcelona’s list of targets, meaning the club will have to continue looking elsewhere as they search for attacking reinforcements. Barcelona should avoid rushing into wrong signing Barcelona will not move for Ayoze Perez. (Photo by Mateo Villalba Sanchez/Getty Images) Losing a priority target often creates pressure to find an immediate replacement, particularly when several names begin appearing in reports. But signing a player simply because a preferred option is unavailable can create another problem. The right No. 9 must fit the sporting plan, the manager’s system and Barcelona’s financial reality. Perez may have appeared attractive because of his reported price, but Moretto’s update suggests Barcelona are not convinced enough to turn that interest into a genuine pursuit. That could be the right approach. If Julián Álvarez is no longer available, Barcelona should focus on finding the player they genuinely want rather than settling for the cheapest name linked with the club.