Barcelona 'identify 20-year-old marksman' as perfect Robert Lewandowski 'replacement'

The 20-year-old made the move to Porto from Atletico Madrid last summer, and he has been in excellent form for the Portuguese giants this season, scoring 20 goals and registering three assists in 32 appearances.

There is currently a host of speculation surrounding Samu's future, with Chelsea and Arsenal both believed to be keen to bring him to the Premier League, but according to Fichajes, Barcelona are also in the hunt for his signature.

The Catalan giants are looking for a long-term Robert Lewandowski replacement, and it is believed that Samu could be the back-up to the Poland international next season before replacing him at the start of the 2026-27 campaign.

Barcelona are allegedly confident that an offer in the region of €60m (£50m) would be accepted, which could represent a bargain considering the Spain international's potential.

Barcelona 'interested in summer deal for Samu'

Samu started his professional career with Granada, but he only made one appearance for the club, scoring once, before making the switch to Atletico Madrid, signing a five-year deal with the Red and Whites in August 2023.

The forward did not make a single appearance for Atletico, though, spending the 2023-24 campaign on loan at Alaves, scoring eight times and registering one assist in 35 appearances, before completing a move to Porto last August.

Chelsea are believed to have agreed a deal to sign Samu last summer, only for the move to break down at the final moment.

Samu has a record of nine goals and one assist in 35 La Liga appearances, but he is a different player to the one that featured in Spain's top flight last season, with his game coming on a huge amount this term.

Samu previously opened up on "very difficult summer" amid Atletico uncertainty

Towards the end of last year, the youngster admitted that it was "a very difficult summer" due to the uncertainty surrounding his future, with a move to Chelsea breaking down despite the Blues allegedly agreeing a £35m fee with Atletico.

"The gold medal [with Spain U23 at the Olympics] wasn't so bitter," he told EFE. "But it was a very difficult summer. When I was in Madrid I had a very bad time. In the end, thank God, everything turned out well. If the Chelsea deal didn't work out it was for a reason and in the end everything turned out well.

"There - at Atletico Madrid - I trained separately. I didn't feel involved, not like a footballer. I trained and my head told me no. I had a bad time. I cried a lot at night... my family and my mother had a very bad time... In the end, thank God, everything came together quickly and I made the best decision.

"Nobody spoke to me and I didn't speak to anyone. I was still an Atletico Madrid player, I had to go to training and do my job. I already knew the club's position. These are things that happen in football and that make you gain experience and learn for the future."

Barcelona have also allegedly held initial conversations over signing a new right-back during this summer's transfer window.

Written by

Matt Law