Barcelona have the most exciting attacking football in the world right now and recently flexed that might with an incredible, potentially title-deciding 4-2 comeback win over Atletico Madrid.
But Barcelona are always looking to get even better offensively. There are two opportunities to make upgrades for the future, as Barca currently don’t have a true right-footed left winger.
With Robert Lewandowski getting older at 36, there is also the opportunity to go for a young striker who can split minutes with the Polish legend and eventually supplant the former Bundesliga superstar.
Here are five star attackers worth Barca’s time in the summer 2025 transfer market.
Eintracht Frankfurt ST Hugo Ekitike
Hugo Ekitike has found his footing in Frankfurt and become one of the most must-see players in the Bundesliga. And with Omar Marmoush already taking his next step at Manchester City, the show is fully Ekitike’s to run in the business capital of Europe.
There is a stigma against Frankfurt forwards with how Sebastien Haller, Luka Jovic, Ante Rebic, and Andre Silva have all flopped at the next stage, but Marmoush’s recent success at the Etihad indicates that it’s more about fit and quality.
Ekitike was a gem at Reims before struggling to get minutes in Paris, so he was on the radar before emerging in Frankfurt. Barcelona can’t spend too much money on a striker, so Ekitike is a young, well-rounded option who can fit in as Lewa’s understudy before taking the reigns later.
Athletic Club LW Nico Williams
Barcelona tried to sign Nico Williams last summer, but it seems like Lamine Yamal and Nico themselves were trying a lot harder than Joan Laporta and Deco to make this move happen.
It also didn’t help matters for Barcelona that Nico has a close affinity to Athletic Club and his brother Inaki. Athletic Club were able to give the younger Williams a competitive salary offer, keeping the excellent left winger in Bilbao for another season.
But Barcelona and giants in the Premier League will be after Williams again this summer. Williams could be a dynamic counterweight and a different sort of winger to rotate in with Raphinha, giving Lamine Yamal another option to work with.
Dortmund LW Jamie Bynoe-Gittens
Jamie Bynoe-Gittens has fully broken out this season at Borussia Dortmund, and it’s been remarkable watching his shift from a “Bambi on Ice” player who dribbled the ball out of bounds untouched into a full-fledged killer on the attacking end.
Still a very raw prospect at 20, Gittens is the lone true bright spot on an atrocious Dortmund team. He has 10 goal contributions and more than 4 combined dribbles completed and fouls drawn per game this season as one of the best one-on-one threats in European football.
Lille ST Jonathan David
Set to be a free agent, Jonathan David makes the most sense from a budget and fit perspective for Barcelona, as he’s a different style of striker to Robert Lewandowski but is still a big presence in the box with strong finishing chops and enough all-around ability to help the wingers score.
David isn’t an elite striker, but it’s rare to find a consistent 15-goal forward as a free agent. How much his salary costs will be determined by the market, but the 25-year-old would be a nifty backup signing for Barcelona in case injury were to befall Lewandowski in 2025/26.
AC Milan LW Rafael Leao
Laporta’s dream signing on the left wing, Rafael Leao is a magnet for criticism and a scapegoat for AC Milan’s struggles, though how quickly some fans forget that it was Leao who won the 2021/22 Serie A MVP and led the Rossoneri to their return to the summit of Italian football that season.
One year later, he lifted Milan past eventual Scudetto winners Napoli in the Champions League quarterfinals. Leao may be inconsistent, but much of that inconsistency reflects the larger issues at Milan and their lack of a true foundation in midfield and defense – or in coaching.
Barcelona have to be careful with how much they spend on Leao, because he is more of a luxury player than someone Barca truly needs. That said, I’d rather cast my lot with Leao than with Joao Felix, a player meriting far more scorn than his Portuguese teammate.
Joe Soriano covers West Ham for Green Street Hammers and writes about Real Madrid for The Real Champs. He has extensive experience covering world football since 2014. Joe is an editor for The Trivela Effect, where he covers the biggest clubs in European football. He has watched professional sports regularly since 2002 and can be found playing the same sports he covers with his friends.