Barcelona are monitoring Greek international striker Vangelis Pavlidis as a potential replacement for Robert Lewandowski, according to Spanish reports cited by the Greek outlet Protothema.
The Spanish champions have been searching for a forward to succeed Lewandowski at the top of their attack. Their primary target was Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez, but Atletico has shown no willingness to discuss selling the Argentine, pushing Barcelona toward alternative options.
Spanish website Diario de Transferencias reports that Pavlidis is one of those alternatives, with Barcelona closely following the 26-year-old and having expressed interest in signing him.
Benfica's position
Benfica is not opposed to selling the Greek international, provided the club's financial demands are met, according to the same reports. The Lisbon club values Pavlidis at between 40 and 50 million euros, and sources in the Iberian Peninsula suggest his stay at the Estadio da Luz is no longer considered certain.
Pavlidis had an outstanding debut season with Benfica, finishing the campaign with 30 goals in 53 appearances across all competitions, making him one of the club's most productive players.
Although he is contracted until the summer of 2029, a transfer remains a possibility. His contract includes a release clause of 100 million euros, a figure that Barcelona would find extremely difficult to meet, the reports note.
