Barcelona target sensational Suarez LALIGA return after giving up on Osimhen

Barcelona have reportedly identified Sporting Lisbon forward Luis Suárez as a priority backup option if their ongoing pursuit of Atlético Madrid star Julián Álvarez collapses. 

The Catalan club are searching for a new striker ahead of the transfer deadline following the recent departure of veteran forward Robert Lewandowski.

​Álvarez remains Barcelona's first choice, but executing the transfer has proven immensely difficult. The club submitted a €100 million transfer offer for the Argentine, but Atlético Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has bluntly insisted that the forward is not for sale under any circumstances.

​Despite Álvarez reportedly apologising to his Madrid teammates for publicly requesting a move during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, he is still keen on leaving. 

However, with the transfer deadline rapidly approaching, the sporting department at Barcelona are forced to lay search for alternative targets.

​Barcelona previously explored a move for Galatasaray and Nigerian international striker Victor Osimhen as an alternative to Alvarez. 

While the 27-year-old forward possesses the finishing pedigree the club desires and required physical profile, the Catalan hierarchy ultimately abandoned the pursuit.

​The club's executives determined that Osimhen's massive transfer fee and lucrative wage demands made it an overwhelmingly expensive endeavour. 

With the Nigerian ruled out, the scouting department has turned its attention to Portugal, where Suárez has emerged as a much more financially viable alternative.

​The 28-year-old Colombian international joined Sporting CP from Spanish side Almería in July 2025 for a reported €25 million fee. 

He is currently contracted to the Portuguese champions until June 2030 and possesses an €80 million release clause, which Barcelona would likely attempt to negotiate down.

​Suárez already boasts extensive experience in Spanish football, which makes him an appealing and low-risk tactical fit. 

Before moving to Lisbon, he established a proven track record with spells at Real Zaragoza, Granada, and Almería, notably recording 31 goals and eight assists across all competitions during his final 2024/25 campaign with the latter.

​If the transfer materialises, the Colombian would become the third player named Luis Suárez to represent Barcelona, following two of the most revered figures in the club's history.

​The late Luis Suárez Miramontes famously starred for Barcelona between 1954 and 1961, securing two La Liga titles (1958/59 and 1959/60) and holding the record as being the only Spanish-born male player to win the Ballon d'Or for 64 years until Rodri claimed the prize in 2024.

​Decades later, Uruguayan icon Luis Suárez dominated at the Camp Nou between 2014 and 2020. The legendary striker won four LALIGA titles and the 2014/15 UEFA Champions League, cementing his legacy as one of the club's greatest ever goalscorers.