Barcelona have made contact with Villarreal striker Georges Mikautadze’s entourage as they explore alternatives to Julián Álvarez, according to Sport. The Georgian international is reported by several local outlets to have given his approval to a possible move to Camp Nou, though the operation remains far from advanced negotiations.
Álvarez remains the priority as talks stall
Julián Álvarez has already returned to training with Atlético Madrid and, per Sport, has made clear to Diego Simeone that he still wants to join Barcelona. That stance was communicated in a meeting ahead of Wednesday’s session, but Los Colchoneros have shown no sign of softening their position on a sale, leaving the deal blocked for now.
With the pursuit of Álvarez stuck, Barcelona’s sporting department is unwilling to simply wait on Atlético, and has widened its search for a forward capable of filling the same role. Mikautadze has emerged as one of the names under consideration.
Why Mikautadze fits the profile – and the price
Villarreal signed Mikautadze from Olympique Lyonnais in September 2025 for €31m plus €5m in variables, tying him to a six-year contract through June 2031. Sport reports that Villarreal’s asking price now sits between €60m and €65m, a figure Barcelona view as more manageable than the outlay required to prise Álvarez away from the Metropolitano, even if it would still demand a significant financial effort.
The Georgian forward closed his first season in Spanish football with 15 goals and six assists across all competitions, numbers that helped Villarreal finish third in La Liga, ahead of Atlético Madrid, and secure Champions League qualification for a second straight year. Barcelona’s interest is also tied to his versatility: Marcelino used him as a central striker but also shifted him into wider attacking zones, a mobility that appeals to the club’s recruitment staff.
Lautaro Martínez also on the radar
Mikautadze is not the only name Barcelona are exploring as a contingency. According to Gerard Romero, sporting director Deco met in Madrid with Alejandro Camaño, the agent of Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martínez, to gauge the Argentine’s situation should the Álvarez pursuit collapse entirely.
That meeting does not amount to an active negotiation, but it confirms Barcelona are testing multiple avenues rather than committing solely to one fallback option. Deco’s willingness to sound out both camps underlines how unresolved the club’s centre-forward plans remain this deep into the window.
What happens next
For now, Álvarez remains Barcelona’s priority. But with Atlético showing no urgency to negotiate, contact with Mikautadze’s camp gives Barcelona a clearer read on his willingness to move and the financial terms Villarreal would require to even open talks.