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Robert Lewandowski did a fantastic job for Barcelona in his debut season. His goalscoring form was critical to the Catalans winning the La Liga title in the 2022-23 campaign. The Poland international is one of the finest strikers of his generation and his goalscoring record underlines the same.
However, having turned 35, the reality is that Lewandowski is entering the twilight of his career. Barcelona will need to plan for a post-Lewandowski era and the sooner they do it, the better it will be for them.
Identifying and nurturing young talent or seeking potential replacements will become a crucial task for the club's management in the near future. The challenge lies in finding a player of Lewandowski's calibre and goal-scoring prowess, as his shoes will undoubtedly be hard to fill.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five players who can replace Lewandowski at Barca.
#5 Youssoufa Moukoko (Borussia Dortmund)
Could Barcelona get Borussia Dortmund to part with their golden boy Youssoufa Moukoko? Dortmund are familiar with letting go of top talent and making a fortune off their sales.
It's something they can't help but they also tend to not suffer as they seem to always find a great replacement thanks to their incredible scouting system and ability to nurture young talent.
Spanish publication Sport claimed in December 2022 that Barca were eyeing Moukoko as a potential replacement for Lewandowski.
The pacy young striker scored seven goals and provided four assists in 26 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund last season. It's worth noting that 15 of those appearances came from the bench. He is only 18 years old and has a very high ceiling.
#4 Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)
Lautaro Martinez presents a compelling case as a potential replacement for Lewandowski at Barca. His combination of technical proficiency and lethal finishing skills make him a suitable successor for Lewandowski.
Martinez possesses the ability to link up well with his teammates and contribute efficiently to the team's build-up play. At 26, he has quite a long way to go and is currently in the prime of his career.
He has also been in pretty good form of late. He scored 28 goals and provided 11 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions for Inter Milan last season. The Argentinian centre-forward has kicked on in similar fashion in the new campaign.
In seven appearances across all competitions for the Nerazzurri so far this season, Martinez has scored six goals and provided two assists.
#3 Aleksander Isak (Newcastle United)
Aleksander Isak has been a hit in the Premier League since joining Newcastle United in the summer of 2023 for a sum of €70 million. Isak has scored 13 goals and provided three assists in 33 appearances in all competitions for the Magpies since arriving at the club.
According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Xavi and co. have identified Isak as a potential replacement for Lewandowski. The Sweden international has been linked with the Catalans in the past and he is quite familiar with La Liga. He did an impressive job for Real Sociedad over three seasons between 2019 and 2022.
#2 Julian Alvarez (Manchester City)
Julian Alvarez had a wonderful 2022-23 campaign. He was instrumental in Argentina's World Cup triumph as well as Manchester City's continental treble win. The Argentinian centre-forward's technical prowess and goalscoring ability make him one of the most exciting young footballers on the planet.
However, due to the fact that he is teammates with Erling Haaland, Alvarez is unlikely to be the main man in attack for City in the foreseeable future. While he is a great asset to have for City, Alvarez might benefit more from being at a club where he is the centre-piece in attack.
As such, he could be open to joining a club like Barcelona. Stylistically, he could be a great fit and he will be their main goalscoring outlet.
By virtue of his accomplishments, he is likely to cost them an arm and a leg. But it's a gamble worth taking for the Catalans because there is no doubting Alvarez's ability.
#1 Victor Osimhen (Napoli)
Victor Osimhen's spectacular performances during Napoli's historic 2022-23 campaign have caught the attention of football fans all across the world. His goalscoring prowess, athleticism and dynamism make him a strong candidate to replace Lewandowski at Barca.
Over the course of the last few campaigns, Osimhen has showcased the ability to find the back of the net with power and precision. This coupled with his young age and room for growth aligns with Barca's tradition of nurturing and developing top-tier talent. The 24-year-old could burgeon into a world-beater at Barca.
The relationship between the player and the club could have strained over a recent TikTok video. Napoli recently posted a video, which was subsequently deleted, featuring the Nigeran striker missing a penalty with a funny voiceover. It was disrespectful and the player's agent has threatened to sue the club over it.
Roberto Calenda, Osimhen's agent, wrote on X:
“What happened today on Napoli’s official profile on the TikTok platform is not acceptable. A video mocking Victor was first made public and then, but now belatedly, deleted.
“A serious fact that causes very serious damage to the player and adds to the treatment that the boy is suffering in the last period between media trials and fake news.”
This is something that Barca could use to their advantage in order to lure Osimhen to the Spotify Camp Nou.
