Barcelona set to miss out on Hoffenheim striker Fisnik Asllani as Julian Alvarez deal becomes complicated

Barcelona are set to lose the race for Hoffenheim forward Fisnik Asllani, with the 23-year-old reportedly on the verge of joining Bundesliga rivals RB Leipzig during the summer transfer window.

The Catalan club are looking to strengthen their attack before the new season and have identified Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez as one of their main targets. However, negotiations over a possible move for the Argentina international have become increasingly difficult, while Asllani now appears close to committing his future elsewhere in Germany.

According to a report published on Thursday, Asllani is expected to undergo a medical with RB Leipzig later in the day. The move is then set to be officially announced once the necessary procedures have been completed.

Asllani was seen at a hotel in Salzburg on Wednesday as he waited for the initial stages of the transfer to be finalised. In the absence of any late developments, the transfer fee is expected to be between 25m and 30m euros.

The forward is also expected to sign a five-year contract with RB Leipzig, keeping him at the club until 2031. A number of German media outlets reported the progress of the deal, with Mundo Deportivo also citing those reports.

Asllani has previously expressed his support for Barcelona. Images of him as a child wearing a Barcelona shirt have emerged in the past, but his next career move now appears likely to take him to another Bundesliga club rather than to Camp Nou.

Barcelona’s interest in Asllani came as the club assessed different options for adding greater strength to their forward line. Their priority remains Alvarez, who is 26 and currently plays for Atletico Madrid.

Alvarez travelled to Madrid on Tuesday to meet his agent, Fernando Hidalgo. The immediate challenge for the player and Barcelona is persuading Atletico Madrid to allow him to leave.

The Madrid club have shown no willingness to sell their striker, meaning Alvarez may need to take action himself if he is to have a realistic chance of joining Barcelona. His situation has therefore become a central part of the club’s attacking recruitment plans, particularly as another forward connected with a possible move to the Catalan side prepares to complete a transfer to RB Leipzig.

Unless there is an unexpected change in the coming hours, Asllani will continue his career in Germany. His proposed move would remove one of the players linked with Barcelona from the club’s list of potential attacking additions, while the uncertainty surrounding Alvarez remains unresolved.