Barcelona are considering a move for Benfica striker Vangelis Pavlidis as they continue efforts to sign a new forward for next season, with sporting director Deco assessing alternatives while negotiations for Argentina international Julian Alvarez remain ongoing.
Pavlidis has emerged as a possible fallback option should Barcelona fail to reach an agreement for Alvarez, according to Spanish newspaper AS. The Greece international is not currently the club’s leading target, but his goalscoring record, technical qualities and relatively low cost have made him an attractive possibility for the Catalan club.
Barcelona’s need for attacking reinforcements has become more pressing after Eli Junior Kroupi suffered a serious injury. The forward is expected to be out for between three and four months with a broken foot metatarsal, leaving the club considering how best to strengthen its options in attack.
Pavlidis’ future could also depend on the situation involving Ferran Torres. The Spain forward remains trusted by manager Hansi Flick and Barcelona are trying to renew his contract. However, if Torres were to leave during the current transfer window, Deco would have greater room to manoeuvre in the market.
The financial aspect of a potential deal is another factor in Pavlidis’ favour. He joined Benfica from Dutch club AZ Alkmaar in 2024 for 18m euros and is viewed as a more affordable alternative to other forwards being considered by Barcelona.
The 27-year-old enjoyed an impressive campaign last season, scoring 30 goals and providing six assists in 53 appearances across all competitions. He added to his growing reputation this week by scoring four times against Swiss side St Gallen in the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Europa League, putting himself back in the spotlight across European football.
Pavlidis already has a notable history against Barcelona. During last season’s UEFA Champions League group stage in Lisbon, he scored a hat-trick against the Catalan side in just 29 minutes.
That performance made him the fastest player to score three goals against Barcelona in European competition. His achievement came despite Barcelona eventually winning the match 5-4 in a highly entertaining contest.
The memory of that display will be familiar to supporters at Camp Nou as Barcelona weigh up their next attacking addition. While Alvarez remains the preferred option in the ongoing negotiations, Pavlidis’ recent form and previous impact against the club have helped establish him as a credible alternative for Deco and the Barcelona hierarchy.
