Frank Leboeuf has urged Barcelona to forget their pursuit of Julian Alvarez and use the money to sign Victor Osimhen instead, Footynaija reports.
Barcelona have been pushing to sign Alvarez from Atletico Madrid, but Atletico have rejected the idea of selling him to their La Liga rivals. Atletico chief Miguel Angel Gil Marin said the Argentine would ‘never, ever’ join Barcelona.
Speaking on ESPN via Tribuna, Leboeuf said: “I see Barcelona running after Julian Alvarez and I wonder why they are not thinking about Victor Osimhen.
“Osimhen will be good for Barcelona, he will be good for Arsenal as well. Every club that gets Osimhen will be getting a top striker.
“If I were Barcelona, I would use that Alvarez money and get Osimhen.
“Maybe at the end of his career, Osimhen will explain why big clubs never come for him.”
The numbers give Barcelona a strong case to consider the switch. Osimhen scored 22 goals and made eight assists in 33 games for Galatasaray in 2025-26. He also scored seven Champions League goals.
Alvarez scored 10 Champions League goals last season and has 49 goals and 17 assists in 107 games for Atletico.
The difference is in their profiles. Alvarez, 26, is 1.70m tall and is quick, skilful and strong in link-up play. He can also play behind the striker. Osimhen offers more height, power and threat in the air, while his pace can attack space behind defenders.
Both have major European experience. Alvarez won the Champions League with Manchester City in 2023, while Osimhen helped Napoli win Serie A in 2023 and finished that season as the league’s top scorer with 26 goals.










