Barcelona alternative edges closer to Borussia Dortmund transfer

One of the highlights of the 2025-26 season for FC Barcelona was the farewell of Robert Lewandowski at the end of the season. After constant uncertainty about whether the striker would continue with the Catalan club or leave, it was decided in the final weeks of the last campaign that the Blaugrana club and the player would not continue working together, and thus, the Pole has already played his last game in a Barcelona shirt.

Meanwhile, the Blaugranes are still looking for a replacement for him, and everything suggests that their favorite candidate for this purpose is the Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez. However, getting him from the Colchoneros is not going to be easy for them, and thus, they are also keeping their eyes on some other options in the market.

One player with whom they have been linked with for some time in this regard was the Kosovar striker Fisnik Asllani. The 23-year-old Hoffenheim forward was one of the more impressive strikers last season, as he scored 11 goals and provided 10 assists in 35 appearances. Meanwhile, his €30 million release clause also made him an affordable option for clubs across Europe.

However, he is seemingly no longer an option for Barcelona, as SPORT notes that several outlets have claimed that the Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund are set to land the Kosovar this summer, as they have already reached an agreement with the player, and would be open to paying his release clause.

The Hoffenheim striker particularly appealed to the Catalans because of his youth, physical profile, mobility, and affordability. Meanwhile, the player himself had publicly admitted of his admiration for the Blaugrana club recently, while his agent also confirmed that they were in contact with Barcelona. But for now, his next destination appears to be Dortmund, and it remains to be seen how this operation would affect the Catalans’ plans for the center-forward position.