Deco denied reports he traveled to London to meet Joao Pedro’s agents as Barcelona continues its search for a striker to replace Robert Lewandowski.
"I didn't go to see Joao Pedro; you are all mistaken," Deco said on Saturday, answering claims that he had held talks with the Chelsea forward's representatives before Saturday's FA Cup final. He added plainly, "We neither rule anyone out nor sign anyone."
The denial matters because Barcelona are working to fill the void left by Lewandowski, who arrived in 2022 and helped the club win seven trophies, including three La Liga titles between 2022 and 2026. Deco described Lewandowski's departure as being finalized and warned of the scale of the task, saying, "It is a somewhat sad day because Robert's departure is being finalized. It is almost impossible to replace Robert, the best striker of recent years. At Barça it is difficult to replace him, but football is like that. Ferran came as a winger and has become a number 9. It is time to make decisions and strengthen the team."
Those comments underscore why speculation about targets has accelerated. Julián Álvarez of Atlético Madrid and Joao Pedro of Chelsea are both named in the conversation as possible options, and the club faces a short window to decide before the 2026–27 season begins.
Reports in recent days suggested Deco had been in London to meet Pedro's camp and that talks took place before the FA Cup final; another outlet said Pedro is wanted at Camp Nou to replace Lewandowski. Deco rejected those specific accounts and insisted Barcelona are keeping options open rather than closing on any one deal. "We are not ruling out or signing anyone. We are talking about it,'" he said.
The push-and-pull between reporting and the sporting director's denials creates a friction point for supporters and potential targets. On one hand, the club must move quickly to identify a reliable centre forward after a player who delivered sustained success; on the other, public denials and multiple names circulating make it harder to read Barcelona's intentions.
Carrying that uncertainty into the wider environment, Xabi Alonso—whose team has been referenced in coverage of the broader transfer landscape—offered a terse acknowledgement of football's churn: "Well.. That’s football, and we’ll build a good team."
For now, Barcelona's stated line is steady: they will speak to many, rule no one out and sign no one prematurely. Deco's insistence that he did not meet Pedro's agents removes a concrete claim from the public record, but it does not close the book on Joao Pedro or Julián Álvarez as targets. With Lewandowski's exit described as finalized and the season horizon looming, the club must convert talk into a choice—and fast.
