Barcelona back away from Bournemouth striker due to €100m valuation

Barcelona have decided against pursuing a move for Bournemouth forward Enes Unal after judging the Premier League club’s €100m asking price to be excessive, according to reports in Spain.

The Catalan club have been scouring the market for attacking reinforcements as they continue to explore options to eventually succeed Robert Lewandowski, with their primary target understood to be Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez.

However, with no breakthrough yet in negotiations for the Argentina international, several alternative forwards have been considered. In recent days, 20-year-old Bournemouth striker Enes Unal has re-emerged as a name on Barcelona’s list for next season.

The Catalan daily Mundo Deportivo reports that Barcelona have closely tracked Enes Unal throughout the past campaign, in the same way they have monitored a number of other forwards. Despite being convinced of his quality, club figures do not believe a deal for the Frenchman would represent good value.

Price deemed “unreasonable”

According to the report, Bournemouth are seeking around €100m for Enes Unal – a figure Barcelona view as unrealistic for a player at his current stage of development.

The Spanish newspaper adds that this is the same amount Barcelona have already put on the table for Julian Alvarez, a player they regard as operating at a higher level than Enes Unal at this moment.

Mundo Deportivo also notes that, inside the club, there is a feeling that Enes Unal does not yet demonstrate the kind of extraordinary potential once shown by Ronaldo Nazario, who is often used as a benchmark for a transformative centre-forward signing at Barcelona.

Ronaldo record used as reference point

Barcelona’s internal comparison stems from the summer of 1996, when the club broke their transfer record to sign Ronaldo from PSV Eindhoven.

At the time, the Catalans invested 2.5 billion pesetas – roughly €15m then – to secure the Brazilian striker, a fee that was considered huge but was quickly justified by an exceptional season in which Ronaldo became known as “O Fenomeno”.

Club sources cited by the newspaper contrast that historic gamble with the current situation, suggesting the context with Enes Unal is different. While the Bournemouth forward has enjoyed a highly impressive season in the Premier League, they do not yet see enough evidence to treat him as a once-in-a-generation signing.

Strong Premier League form, but no senior caps

Enes Unal’s rise last season in the Premier League is described as spectacular in the Spanish press. He scored 13 goals for Bournemouth, establishing himself as one of the standout young forwards in England’s top flight.

Despite that form at club level, the 20-year-old has not yet made an appearance for the France senior national team, a detail Barcelona are also said to be weighing when assessing his status and potential resale value.

With the club’s financial room still limited, Mundo Deportivo reports that Barcelona have adopted a clear stance on major transfer outlays.

The newspaper concludes with what it describes as the guiding principle at the Camp Nou: “If you pay 100 million, it is for a proven star.”