Barcelona's summer chase stalled as Alvarez priority eclipsed Martinez

Barcelona spent the entire summer chasing Argentine striker Julian Alvarez, but after Atletico Madrid refused to sell, the Catalans turned their attention to his national teammate Lautaro Martinez, only to discover the Argentine forward was never a genuine priority and the club quickly moved on to secure Gabriel Jesus as a fallback.

Barcelona's summer pursuit of Argentine striker Julian Alvarez was widely reported. The club spent the entire campaign trying to lure him away from Atletico Madrid.

When Barcelona learned Atleti were in no mood to sell, the Catalans began scouting alternatives, including Alvarez's national teammate Lautaro Martinez. The move signalled a shift in priorities as the club searched for a replacement.

Martinez considered as alternative

Former Barcelona midfielder Deco recently confirmed that Martinez was indeed on the club's shortlist, although the transfer never materialised. The Argentine forward remained a peripheral target throughout the window.

Martinez expressed willingness to join Barcelona as a direct replacement for Robert Lewandowski. However, he stayed loyal to Inter Milan and said he would only leave if the Catalans could reach an amicable agreement with the Nerazzurri.

Inter Milan denied any genuine approach from Barcelona, insisting they had no suitable replacement for the Argentine international. Consequently, Martinez stayed at the Italian side.

A report added that Martinez was never a priority for Barcelona; the club had always regarded Alvarez as its number‑one target and clung to hopes of signing the Atleti star until the final days.

Jesus signed as fallback

When the Alvarez deal fell through, Barcelona reached an agreement with Arsenal for Gabriel Jesus as a fallback option. The economic terms were very favourable and the player's reduced salary made registration straightforward.

By contrast, Martinez would have faced registration difficulties because of his higher salary package. This financial hurdle contributed to the collapse of the potential move.