Barcelona Target Harry Kane as Lewandowski's Successor

Barcelona have picked their dream No 9. Now they just have to pull off the near-impossible.

The Catalan club have made it clear they want Harry Kane to spearhead the next phase of their rebuild, with the Daily Mail reporting that Barça and the player’s camp have agreed to revisit the situation once England’s 2026 World Cup campaign is over.

They need a new reference point up front. Robert Lewandowski is on his way to MLS, having agreed a move to Chicago Fire, and the gap he leaves is enormous. Inside the club, Kane is viewed as the one striker who can walk in and instantly replace that level of guaranteed goals.

Barca’s big swing

Barcelona’s finances are still a minefield, but the ambition has not dimmed. The board is exploring every creative mechanism available to fund a move for the 32-year-old, who has just one year left on his deal at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena.

On paper, the timing looks perfect: a short contract, a striker in his thirties, and a club that traditionally does not like to lose stars for free. In reality, Bayern are desperate to keep their talisman. Kane has become the face of their attack, the centrepiece of Thomas Tuchel’s plans and the symbol of a new cycle in Munich.

Camp Nou, though, has a pull of its own. The chance to lead Barcelona’s line, to be the marquee signing in a new era, will test just how attached Kane is to the Bavarian project.

Cold response from Kane’s camp

Early signals are not encouraging for Barcelona. Initial conversations have been met with a firm response. According to the report, Kane’s representatives effectively shut down the idea after a phone call from the Catalan club, with the England captain said to be enjoying life in Germany.

Barça are not walking away. The message from within is that they are ready to “go all out” if even the slightest opening appears once the World Cup in North America is done. For now, they wait – and they plan.

A striker at the peak of his powers

Kane’s form gives Bayern every reason to dig in. Since arriving in the Bundesliga, he has been relentless, and on the international stage he has just become England’s all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup history.

That status alone inflates his value. Bayern would demand a huge fee to even consider a sale, regardless of his age or contract situation. They know exactly what they would be losing: a striker who scored an astonishing 61 goals in 51 games in his first season in Munich.

At this World Cup, he has already struck three times in the group stage and remains central to England’s hopes in the knockout rounds. Any talk of his club future is on hold until the Three Lions’ campaign is over.

World Cup focus, transfer noise

England now prepare to face DR Congo in the last 32 in Atlanta, and Kane’s attention is locked on the tournament.

Speaking to BBC Sport about his latest landmark, he said: “The World Cup is the biggest competition we play as professional footballers, so to get to 11 goals is a proud feeling. I just want to enjoy this moment with the team. I never take these moments for granted. Another good milestone to hit, and I hope it is not the last one in this tournament.”

Those are not the words of a player distracted by transfer speculation. For Kane, the here and now is England, knockout football, and the chase for a trophy that has defined generations.

Replacing Lewandowski – again

If Barcelona do somehow force a deal through, the symmetry will be striking. Kane would replace Lewandowski for the second time in his career, having already stepped into the Pole’s role at Bayern.

Inside Barça, there is a clear belief: if any striker can replicate Lewandowski’s output, it is Kane. Hansi Flick’s tactical blueprint relies on a dominant focal point, a forward who can finish ruthlessly, link play and carry the attack through difficult spells. Kane ticks every box.

But Bayern know that as well as anyone. Prising him away from Munich will be a brutal negotiation, if it even reaches that stage.

Plan B: Julian Alvarez on the radar

Barcelona are not betting everything on one card. With the Kane pursuit fraught with difficulty, the club is also keeping other options alive.

One of those is Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez, who has been at the centre of intense speculation. Recent comments from the Argentine about wanting to leave Atletico have lifted optimism at Camp Nou that a deal might be possible.

Any pivot to Alvarez would still require a major financial push. Whether it is Kane or the Argentine, Barcelona are braced for a huge outlay to secure a striker capable of defining their attack for years.

The question now is simple: can they turn admiration for Kane into a concrete bid Bayern will even listen to, or will this summer end with Barcelona chasing a different name to lead the line in the post-Lewandowski era?