Atletico Madrid have firmly rejected Barcelona’s pursuit of Julian Alvarez, declaring no offer will be sufficient to secure his transfer, according to a statement given to AS. This follows Alvarez publicly expressing his desire to leave the club and join their rivals.
The Argentina international stunned Atletico on Monday by revealing he had requested a transfer to fulfil his ambition of playing for Barcelona. Barcelona have acknowledged their interest in the 26-year-old, prompting a strong reaction from Atletico, who previously mocked their attempts to sign him on social media.
Atletico responded by stating that Barcelona would need to meet Alvarez’s €500 million release clause to have any chance of securing his signature. The club accused Barcelona of dishonest conduct and announced they will be filing a formal complaint to FIFA regarding their approach. “Everyone knows they’re a dishonest club. But they've run into a club that won't let them get away with it,” the club stated.
Despite Alvarez’s public wish to join Barcelona, Atletico are now reportedly open to offers from the Premier League, specifically from Arsenal. Spanish outlet COPE reports that Atletico would prefer to sell Alvarez to Arsenal in a deal that would include Viktor Gyokeres, plus an additional fee of between €40-60 million. However, FootballTransfers understands that Arsenal have not engaged in discussions regarding such a swap deal and are content to retain Gyokeres.
Alvarez previously played in the Premier League with Manchester City, but is not believed to be eager to return. Previous interest from Real Madrid saw a €150 million offer swiftly rejected earlier this month, further strengthening Atletico’s position in negotiations. Alvarez has four years remaining on his current contract, giving Atletico little pressure to sell, particularly after a similar situation with Antoine Griezmann in 2019. The situation suggests this transfer saga will continue throughout the summer window.
