Henrik Larsson says he urged Barcelona to sign Alexander Isak — and had Lewandowski on the same shortlist

Henrik Larsson has revealed that during his time on Barcelona’s coaching staff he submitted Alexander Isak’s name when the club asked for a shortlist of strikers — and Robert Lewandowski was on that list too. The disclosure reopens a fascinating what-if for Barça’s attacking planning: a high-ceiling project in Isak versus the win-now excellence of Lewandowski, who eventually arrived and led the line. With Hansi Flick now shaping the squad, Larsson’s insight lands as timely context for future decisions and fuels discussion about whether Isak’s profile could be the long-term No.9 solution to dovetail with Lamine Yamal’s rise.

Speaking in a recent conversation reflecting on his stint as an assistant coach at FC Barcelona under Ronald Koeman (2020–2021), Henrik Larsson explained he supplied a striker shortlist to the club hierarchy, highlighting Alexander Isak while also including Robert Lewandowski. The revelation arrives amid ongoing tactical recalibration under head coach Hansi Flick and renewed fan debate about the club’s long-term center-forward planning.

❗️Henrik Larsson: "I told Barcelona about Isak when I was there as a coach. They asked me for a list of strikers, and I said Alexander Isak." "He was one of them, and I actually also had Robert Lewandowski on it too."

@BarcaUniversal

Impact Analysis

Larsson’s admission is more than a nostalgic anecdote; it reframes Barcelona’s striker strategy across two cycles. In Lewandowski, Barça secured an elite finisher whose movement in tight spaces, penalty-box craft and relentless professionalism stabilized a young attack and delivered immediate output. In Isak, now excelling at Newcastle United, the club would have gained a different archetype: a mobile, press-resistant No.9 with winger-like ball-carrying, elastic hips to separate from markers, and a knack for attacking the inside-left channel—traits that align with modern, transition-aware systems.

Under Hansi Flick, the tactical fit is intriguing. Flick favors vertical, high-tempo football: a front line that presses in waves, stretches the last line and attacks quickly once possession is won. Isak’s acceleration, stride efficiency, and first-touch finishing would complement Lamine Yamal’s gravity on the right and a dynamic left-sided runner. He can operate as a single nine or in a split-striker look, dropping to receive and enabling third-man runs from advanced interiors. Crucially, his aerial timing has improved, broadening threat profiles against low blocks.

Financially, the Isak route was previously complicated by Barça’s constraints, whereas Lewandowski represented a unique opening with clear short-term guarantees. Now, with squad age profiling, amortization considerations, and the need to future-proof the No.9 role, Larsson’s earlier call strengthens the technical case for revisiting an Isak-type forward—either the player himself or that exact skill set—if market conditions align.

Reaction

Fan discourse has split along predictable lines. A portion argues the club simply couldn’t afford Isak at the time and chose correctly by landing Lewandowski, an established and title-proven superstar who delivered immediately. Others insist Barcelona should have found a way, believing Isak’s ceiling, mobility and stylistic fit with a youth-led core would have paid compounding dividends by now. There’s also a pragmatic camp dismissing the revelation as old news, noting that the present decision-making must reflect today’s finances and Flick’s blueprint, not past forks in the road.

Some supporters are energized by the timing: with Flick refining the attack for big games, the idea of a press-leading, channel-bending nine like Isak has reignited tactical debates. What would Barça look like with a center-forward who can drag center-backs wide and open central lanes for interiors and Yamal? Others counter that Lewandowski’s leadership, professionalism and consistency remain indispensable for developing a young frontline. The conversation ultimately converges on an optimistic symmetry: the club did secure one name from Larsson’s shortlist, and there’s curiosity—tinged with excitement—about whether the other profile could yet appear in a future iteration of the attack.

Social reactions

barcelona was not able to bear the cost of isak transfer at that time

🙂 (@niceperson82)

We don't care bout old news

Shiki🇳🇬🇬🇧 (@MorrisonDe71517)

Barca got the better one i.e. Lewa.

Ayano_Boy (@Ayanokoji_4477)

Prediction

Expect Barcelona to keep Isak or an Isak-like profile on the medium-term radar with quiet, methodical groundwork. Flick’s game model values a nine who can both finish and facilitate: receive under pressure, bounce combinations, and attack space at pace. Isak fits those criteria almost perfectly, and his form at Newcastle United has showcased durability, sharper box instincts, and improved pressing triggers—key data points for Barça’s recruitment cell.

From a market standpoint, a move would require creativity: staged payments, performance-related variables, and potentially a significant outgoing to balance books. If Barça executes planned exits and raises salary headroom, the club could test the waters in an upcoming window, positioning Isak as the long-term heir while Lewandowski remains the elite mentor-competitor in a calibrated transition. The tactical upside is clear: dual pathways for the No.9 slot, more vertical threat in big European nights, and structural flexibility to toggle between a classic 4-3-3 and a box-midfield press.

Net takeaway: momentum will build. The recruitment message will be optimistic, and Barça will act with conviction if the financial runway opens. Isak to Barcelona is not just a rumor archetype—it is a footballing fit that makes too much sense to ignore.

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Conclusion

Larsson’s track record as a revered striker gives his assessment special weight: he identified two elite solutions, one for immediate certainty and one for sustainable evolution. Barcelona realized the first part by bringing in Lewandowski, whose production and standards anchored a transitioning squad. The second part—securing a mobile, prime-age all-phase No.9—remains the missing piece that could supercharge Flick’s vertical, aggressive blueprint.

Whether it is Alexander Isak himself or a forward matching his technical and athletic template, the strategic logic is overwhelming: unlock space for Lamine Yamal, raise the team’s pressing ceiling, and restore unpredictability against top-level defenses. If the financial mechanics align, Barcelona’s next decisive striker move can blend legacy with future, experience with explosiveness. Larsson’s revelation is a reminder that the roadmap has long been sketched; now it’s about timing, execution, and the courage to complete the plan.