There is no shortage of ambition at FC Barcelona when it comes to creating a strong sporting project. While the team is already in a great position, there is always room for improvement. At the moment, it appears that a lot of that drive comes from Joan Laporta’s ambitious objectives.
As previously reported, 2026 could be a big summer for Laporta and his hopes of getting elected again. However, new signings would need to make sense and add value to the team, and it appears that Barça has two superstar targets in mind to sign in 2026.
Barcelona looking to sign Alvarez and Bastoni
According to Fichajes, Laporta has identified two marquee signings for 2026: Atlético Madrid striker Julián Álvarez and Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni. To secure both players, Barcelona would reportedly allocate a massive €200 million transfer budget, making it one of the largest investments in the club’s history.
In Alvarez’s case, interest in the Argentinian player has existed since a long time. Moreover, since Barça wants to secure a successor for Robert Lewandowski, the Atletico Madrid forward would be a good choice.
As for Alvarez himself, the report claims that Atletico Madrid’s project does not seem to fit the vision that he has for his own projection and his own sporting ambitions.
Bastoni, on the other hand, has been linked to the club more recently. Thanks to his profile of being a technically gifted player who is also left-footed, he provides the kind of traits and profile that Barça would love to have in a player who could partner Pau Cubarsi for the years to come.
A project for now and for the future
Moreover, since he is only 26 years old and Alvarez is 25 years old, they could be added to a project that is being built to compete immediately and in the future as well. Both players are seen as massive targets for Laporta, and a massive €200 million budget might be sufficient for both operations.
As for how the club plans on generating that amount, Fichajes claims that a big departure could facilitate at least a part of it. Ronald Araujo, for instance, could be used to bring in around €70-80 million if he fails to establish himself as a reliable option this season.
Still, there is a long way to go before the summer of 2026 comes around. Until then, the club’s focus should be on the current season, and Hansi Flick will be looking to get the most out of the squad that is already at his disposal.
