Barcelona have reshaped their squad in impressive fashion this summer, yet one glaring absence threatens to undermine the Spanish champions ahead of their La Liga opener against Elche on Sunday, 23 August — they have no recognised striker.

Hansi Flick's side brought in Rodri from Manchester City, adding a Ballon d'Or winner and World Cup-winning captain to an already formidable midfield. Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi arrived to inject pace and width into the attack, while 18-year-old Belgian winger Jesse Bisiwu joins as a long-term project.

Departures leave a gap

The exits of Robert Lewandowski, 37, who moved to Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer after his contract expired, and Ferran Torres — who joined Paris St-Germain for around 50m euros (£42.7m) — have stripped the club of their senior striking options. Torres contributed 21 goals in 49 appearances last season, often deputising for Lewandowski through the middle.

Barcelona's primary target to fill the void is Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid. The 26-year-old Argentina international signalled during the World Cup that he was seeking a move, but Atletico's chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin was unequivocal: the club will not sell Alvarez, not even for 200m euros (£170.8m). Real Madrid's interest only complicates matters further.

A false nine or fluid forward line?