FC Barcelona are on the hunt for a striker who could be the great successor to Robert Lewandowski – but another goal is about to disappear. – We in Sporten.com thought the wisest thing for the La Liga champions would have been to keep the Polish goal machine at least one more season, well now the club of former Bodø/Glimt star Philip Zinckernagel has benefited from his goalscoring flair.
Fisnik Asllani, the 23-year-old Hoffenheim striker, is close to signing for RB Leipzig – after Barcelona failed to secure the transfer. The German club could complete the deal in the next few days for a sum of around 29 million euros.
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The attacker did not travel with the rest of the Hoffenheim squad to the training camp in Austria. The absence is due to the need to clarify a future that seems to point towards Leipzig – where he will sign a contract for the next four seasons.
Asllani waited for Barcelona
FC Barcelona followed Fisnik Asllani closely throughout the season and were in contact with his representatives to map out the terms of a potential transfer. His buyout clause, which sits at around €29 million, made the striker an affordable option in today’s market.
Hansi Flick had good reports about the player – who is a national team player for Kosovo and scored 10 goals in 33 games in the Bundesliga 2025/26 season. Asllani had also expressed a willingness to play for Barça – but the Catalan club never turned that interest into a definitive offer.
Barcelona’s sporting management assessed the sporting and financial aspects of the deal internally. But their priority is still to sign a striker who can start – which is why the effort was focused on Julián Álvarez.
The challenges of moving forward with the Argentine led to Asllani’s name gaining increased attention among some of the coaches. Still, Barça had no plans to make a final decision until they had exhausted the options for their primary goalkeeper.
RB Leipzig ready to pay 29 million
RB Leipzig took advantage of this delay to move forward in negotiations with Asllani and his representatives. The deal is close, and the club aims to trigger the clause that binds the player to Hoffenheim until June 30, 2029.
The transfer is expected to be between €29 million and €30 million – a value close to the player’s current market value of €35 million. Leipzig must first free up a place in the attack before they can complete the transfer and announce the signing.
The Saxon club maintains a strategy focused on signing young players with development potential and future value addition. Asllani fits into this model – with his age, experience in the Bundesliga and the 26 goal points – 18 goals and 8 assists – during his loan move to Elversberg in the 2024/25 season.
Hoffenheim prepares for departure
Hoffenheim have left the striker out of both the friendly against Karlsruher and the training trip to Seefeld. The decision reduces the risk of injury while the player finalizes the final details of their departure.
The scenario can only change if a bid comes at the last minute – or if Leipzig fails to free up a place in the squad. Without an immediate action from FC Barcelona, Asllani will continue his career in Germany – and his move to RB Leipzig could be completed as early as the beginning of August.
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