Barcelona see 23-goal striker as the ideal Lewandowski replacement, could cost €60-70 million | OneFootball

Robert Lewandowski has been back at his best for FC Barcelona this season, excelling under the tutelage of new manager Hansi Flick.

However, at the age of 36, the centre-forward is nearing the twilight of his career and as such, a succession plan needs to be in place for when the time to move on arrives.

Lewandowski’s current contract expires in 2025 but there is an option for a one-year activation which is set to be triggered based on the number of matches he plays this season.

In fact, reports suggest that the Blaugrana are not averse to offering him a new contract altogether, potentially keeping him in Catalonia until 2027.

Viktor Gyokeres the ideal candidate to replace

At the same time, though, Barcelona are also keeping an eye on the market for potential replacements for the ageing superstar.

And, according to SPORT, Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres is widely accepted as the best possible candidate to succeed Lewandowski at Barça.

Man in demand. (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)

The Swedish international has been in brilliant form over the past 18 months or so, and has already bagged 23 goals this season from just 18 matches in all competitions.

Gyokeres is a man in demand heading into 2025, with several top clubs across Europe eyeing his signing in the next summer window, with the striker likely to cost somewhere around €60-70 million.

As far as Barcelona are concerned, they like the 26-year-old a lot and wish to add him to the roster, but much will depend on how things go for Lewandowski for the rest of the season.

If the Pole continues like this for the remainder of the campaign, he will have a great chance of starting the next term as the first-choice striker. In that scenario, Barça will have to evaluate whether they need to invest heavily to sign Gyokeres in the summer or not.

If Lewandowski’s form wanes, a possible departure cannot be ruled out, especially with the 36-year-old attracting admirers from the MLS and Saudi Arabia, which could open the doors for Gyokeres to arrive.