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The experienced Robert Lewandowski, 37, left for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer when his contract expired at the end of last season, while Ferran Torres has joined Paris St-Germain for about 50m euros (£42.7m).
Torres scored 21 goals in 49 appearances last season and was often used as an alternative to Lewandowski through the middle.
Those two departures leave Barcelona without an established senior striker in their first-team squad.
The club have made it clear their preferred solution is to sign Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid.
The Argentina international, 26, said during the World Cup he would be looking for a move away.
Atletico, though, made their position equally clear amid interest from Real Madrid too. Chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin said the club would not sell Alvarez, not even for 200m euros (£170.8m).
Flick acknowledged Barcelona must address the situation, but the German has options within his existing group of players.
"We know we have to do something," Flick said this month, pointing to Lamine Yamal's ability to play as a false nine and the versatility of Gordon and Adeyemi.
Teenager Lamine Yamal has already become Barcelona's attacking focal point and is coming off a season in which he scored 24 goals and lifted the World Cup with Spain.
Yet his greatest quality is arguably the ability to isolate a full-back from the right, cut inside and create something from seemingly impossible situations.
Flick's own preference remains for Lamine Yamal to operate from the right wing.
Dani Olmo can also operate as a false nine, while Raphinha has also been used centrally by Flick. Fermin Lopez is another option in advanced areas and has said he is comfortable playing as a false nine.
Gordon and Adeyemi provide pace and direct running, although neither is a conventional number nine.
Alternatively, Barcelona could choose to play with a fluid forward line, with players constantly rotating rather than one striker remaining between opposition centre-backs.
That could make them extremely difficult to defend against.
However, there is no doubt their preferred option would be to recruit a specialised striker who fits the profile.
