Atletico Madrid have made it clear they will not sell Julian Alvarez to Barcelona, even as the Catalan club press harder for the Argentina forward. Barcelona president Joan Laporta went public on Wednesday, saying the club is very interested in the 26-year-old and wants Atletico to take their offer, while stressing that the approach is made with respect for the Madrid side.
That respect has not been returned in kind. Atletico have drawn a hard line. According to Zoyols News, people inside the club say Alvarez is being painted as the injured party when, in their view, Atletico are the ones who have been hurt, both in money and in standing. They insist there is no chance of him going to Barcelona. It is not about the fee, they say. It is about dignity.
The mood around the player has soured quickly. After Atletico’s 2-2 draw with Villarreal on Sunday, Alvarez was booed by his own supporters as talk of his future grew louder. He then missed training on Wednesday. The club put that down to a stomach bug and a bad night’s sleep, not the transfer noise.
The standoff has left the door slightly open for Arsenal, who still want him and are said to be ready to go beyond the £105 million they spent on Declan Rice. Sporting director Andrea Berta, who knows Atletico well, has kept in touch in recent days. Alvarez, though, still leans towards Barcelona and has shown little appetite for a move to London.
Journalist Ruben Uría, who follows Atletico closely, said the atmosphere is extremely tense, and that neither chief executive Miguel Gil Marín nor the board want to send the striker across Spain. With six days left in the window, Arsenal could yet become the fallback if Atletico keep saying no to Barcelona and Alvarez decides he cannot stay in Madrid.
