Barcelona are continuing their efforts to sign Atletico de Madrid forward Julian Alvarez despite the increasing difficulty of completing the deal, with the Catalan club now adopting a more diplomatic approach.
The latest step came in Madrid, where Barcelona sporting director Deco held talks with the Argentina international’s agent, Fernando Hidalgo. According to AS, that meeting led to a change in the club’s strategy as it attempts to bring Alvarez to Camp Nou.
Rather than pushing for an immediate public confrontation, Barcelona are now waiting for Alvarez to make his position clear through private discussions with Atletico de Madrid. The forward is expected to join his team-mates in training and avoid making public comments while he waits to meet both head coach Diego Simeone and the club’s hierarchy.
During those meetings, Alvarez is expected to reiterate that he wants to leave Atletico and that his preferred destination is Barcelona. The club’s revised plan is based on dialogue and negotiation, rather than encouraging the player to make a public declaration similar to the one he made during the 2026 World Cup.
At that tournament, Alvarez publicly called for permission to leave when speaking in the mixed zone. Barcelona are now hoping a private conversation between the player and Atletico can produce a way forward, although it remains uncertain whether the Madrid club will soften its stance.
Simeone and Atletico chief executive Miguel Angel Gil have so far taken a firm position against allowing Alvarez to leave. Their resistance means the outcome of the new diplomatic route remains unclear, particularly given the player’s importance to the team.
Atletico will also have to consider the risks of retaining a player who has told them he wants to move on. Alvarez is expected to remind the club of a promise which, according to his agent, was made earlier: that he would be allowed to leave if an attractive offer arrived.
Alvarez believes a move to Barcelona would benefit both parties, but Atletico do not share that assessment. The Spanish club must therefore decide whether keeping an unhappy player is preferable to accepting a significant transfer fee and resolving the situation.
For Barcelona’s approach to succeed, their financial proposal is also likely to need a substantial improvement. The club’s initial bid did not reach €100m before being increased to that figure. The latest offer is now estimated to be worth about €120m.
That valuation could provide the basis for further negotiations, but Atletico’s firm public position means Barcelona still face a difficult task. The Catalan side’s hope is that a combination of Alvarez’s private insistence and a larger offer will persuade the Madrid club to reconsider its position.
