Atletico de Madrid have rejected Barcelona’s €100m offer for Julian Alvarez and will not sell the Argentina striker to their direct La Liga rivals, leaving the Catalan club with only one alternative: triggering his €500m release clause.
The situation is becoming increasingly urgent as Alvarez prepares to return to training on 10 August. The 25-year-old has made clear his intention to leave Atletico and join Barcelona, but the Madrid club remain firmly opposed to allowing their leading forward to move to a domestic competitor.
According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona’s proposed fee has been dismissed outright by the Atletico board at the Wanda Metropolitano. Paying the full release clause would be the only route available to the club, but the €500m figure makes the transfer appear almost impossible.
Atletico recognise how difficult it would be to find a replacement capable of matching Alvarez’s level in the transfer market. However, the club have not completely ruled out the possibility of finding a solution if the player maintains his position.
One option under consideration would be to transfer Alvarez to a club outside Spain. Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain have been identified as the two leading candidates, although that scenario would not suit the striker. Alvarez does not want to leave Spain and is understood to favour remaining in La Liga.
Paris Saint-Germain’s interest may also be fading. The French champions have made significant progress in their attempt to sign Ferran Torres from Barcelona, which makes it less likely that they would also pursue Alvarez. The Argentina international has previously told Paris Saint-Germain that he was not interested in joining the club, having preferred Atletico de Madrid when he made his choice in the past.
Arsenal’s position could likewise be affected by developments involving Real Madrid. The Premier League club are currently attempting to sign Vinicius Junior, who has one year remaining on his contract at Real Madrid and has yet to agree an extension.
A deal for Vinicius Junior could cost more than €100m. That level of expenditure would make it less likely that Arsenal would also seek to sign Alvarez, potentially narrowing Atletico’s options if the striker continues to push for a move.
The countdown to Alvarez’s return to training under Diego Simeone has therefore begun, with Atletico planning for him to remain at the club for another season. Barcelona, meanwhile, are not prepared to make rushed decisions and are keeping the situation open as they wait for further developments.
The forward’s future remains one of the most closely watched issues of the summer transfer window, but Atletico’s refusal to negotiate with Barcelona and the limited number of realistic alternatives have left the proposed move at a standstill.
