Barcelona Targets Brugge's Rising Star Tresoldi After Álvarez Pursuit

FC Barcelona’s search for a new No. 9 has taken a sharp turn toward Belgium. According to COPE journalist Victor Navarro, Club Brugge striker Nicolo Tresoldi has moved onto the Catalan club’s shortlist, with the German U21 international described as “very, very much liked” by the hierarchy at Montjuïc.

The shift comes straight after the definitive collapse of Barça’s pursuit of Atletico Madrid forward Julian Álvarez. Atletico CEO Miguel Ángel Gil Marín has slammed that door shut, forcing Hansi Flick and sporting director Deco to accelerate their work on alternative targets through the middle.

Lautaro Martínez of Inter Milan remains the preferred option. Inside the club, there is broad agreement that the Argentine is the ideal fit, and the La Liga champions are ready to push hard to land him.

But they know they need more than one card on the table. That is where Tresoldi comes in.

A Belgian-made breakout

Tresoldi first surfaced at senior level with Hannover 96, but it is his explosion in Belgium that has dragged him into the European spotlight.

Since arriving at Club Brugge in the summer of 2025, the 21-year-old has taken off. In his debut 2025/26 season, he played a decisive role in Brugge’s Belgian Pro League title win at the Jan Breydel Stadium, racking up 23 goals and 9 assists in all competitions. Those numbers did not go unnoticed in Barcelona’s offices.

He has not eased off. In the current 2026/27 campaign, Tresoldi has already started where he left off, scoring three goals in his first three matches and underlining his reputation as one of Europe’s deadliest young finishers inside the box.

That blend of age, output, and room for growth is exactly what appeals to Barça as they try to reshape their attack for the long term.

A deal wrapped in complications

The admiration is clear. The operation is anything but.

Tresoldi only joined Club Brugge last summer and is tied to a long-term contract running until 2039. Any club trying to pull him out of Belgium will have to deal with that leverage.

Brugge have set their stance early. The Belgian champions are demanding a fee north of €40 million and have already turned down a substantial offer from AS Roma earlier in the window.

Barcelona know the profile fits. Now they have to decide whether the price does, too.