Barcelona identify next transfer target after Man Utd signing 'hurt' them

Barcelona had Benjamin Sesko on their list of targets for the 2026 summer transfer window before Manchester United swooped in and signed him for £74million in August

Barcelona have identified Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic as a target for next summer - after Manchester United nabbed Benjamin Sesko. Barca are looking to sign a forward in 2026 after it emerged that they plan to let Robert Lewandowski's contract expire at the end of this season.

The La Liga champions have been preparing for the veteran No.9's departure for some time, weighing up which kind of player would be best-suited to replacing the man who's scored 105 goals in 156 games since joining Barcelona in 2022. One option was Sesko.

Highly rated during his time with both Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzig, the 22-year-old Slovenian was on a number of clubs' radars before United shelled out £74million on him in August. It was reported after his move to Old Trafford that Barca were 'hurt' by the transfer, as sporting director Deco is a big fan of his.

Now the Blaugrana have found an alternative in Vlahovic. The Serbia international, 25, has entered the final year of his contract at Juventus, who were looking to sell him this past summer.

Tuttosport, as relayed by Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, claim that Vlahovic is on Barcelona's shortlist of targets. It's added that Deco met with his representatives in August to discuss his situation.

Talks between Juve and Vlahovic over a new deal are reportedly at a standstill, with the ex-Fiorentina star leaning towards an exit, despite revitalising himself this season. Vlahovic would prefer to leave as a free agent, opening himself up to a broader range of clubs, some of whom wouldn't be willing to pay a fee in January.

Bayern Munich are said to be a contender, with the German giants wary that a club could activate Harry Kane's release clause and prise him away. Vlahovic has scored four goals in eight appearances for Juventus this season, in addition to two goals for his country.

Will Benjamin Sesko be successful at Manchester United? Give us your prediction in the comments section.

Sesko has netted in each of his last two games at United, showing promising signs after a slow start to life in the Premier League. The former Leipzig hotshot has quickly risen to the top of the pecking order ahead of fellow striker Joshua Zirkzee, who's been linked with a January move away.

But not everyone agrees with the signing of Sesko. Speaking on the Sacked in the Morning podcast, Red Devils legend Peter Schmeichel bemoaned: "The signing of Sesko was a bit weird to me. We had Hojlund, starved of service for two years.

"You only need to see what he is doing now at Napoli with Kevin De Bruyne and Scott McTominay to play with. I have consistently said Hojlund will be a 25-goal-a-season striker, but he needs service.

"At the time, we brought [Matheus] Cunha and [Bryan] Mbeumo in – players who would give Hojlund first-class service. We spent £70m or so on Sesko [but] we don't have that number six we should have."