27 goals in 34 games .. the young scoring machine on Barcelona’s radar in anticipation of the failure of Haaland or Lewandowski’s transfer

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At this point, it is a well-known fact that Barcelona are keen to sign a new prolific striker in the summer transfer window.

The Blaugrana are determined to bring down a prominent striker who could be the face of rebuilding under Xavi Hernandez and has long been linked with Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland.

But with bleak chances of signing him emerging, interest has shifted to Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski. The 33-year-old is entering the final year of his contract at the Allianz Arena and is eager for a new challenge, as a move to Barcelona is heavily promoted.

But Lewandowski has other suitors to him as well, while the possibility of a contract renewal with Bayern himself is not entirely off the table at this point. Therefore, it is rare for the Catalan giants to reserve their options.

And according to a report from Directo Gol, Barcelona are looking at Benfica and Uruguay striker Darwin Nunez as a possible alternative if they fail to reach Haaland or Lewandowski in the summer.

Nunez has been on Barcelona’s agenda since 2020 when he enjoyed an impressive campaign for Spanish second-division side Almeria. However, Benfica beat the Catalans by signing him and the 22-year-old striker has been successful in Portugal over the past two years.

The Uruguay international has scored 27 goals in 34 matches this season, helping Benfica qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals. The striker had scored twice against Barcelona in the group stage and scored twice in the 3-0 victory for the Portuguese giants.

Nunez showed a lot of promise early in his career in Europe and he has the potential for quality things forward in the years to come. But signing him could require a hefty fee, given that he still has more than three years left on his contract with Benfica.