Barcelona are prepared to abandon their pursuit of Julian Alvarez if Atletico Madrid do not soften their stance by an internal 31 July deadline, despite being willing to raise their offer for the Argentina striker to as much as €130m, according to reports in Spain.
The Catalan club, who officially parted company with Robert Lewandowski at the end of last season, have identified Alvarez as their first-choice replacement and the marquee signing to lead a new era in attack.
But negotiations with Atletico have become increasingly fraught, with the Spanish champions encountering firm resistance from the Madrid club despite the player’s declared desire to leave.
Atletico chief: ‘We will not accept €150m or €200m’
Barcelona are understood to have already tabled an initial offer of €100m for Alvarez. Club president Joan Laporta has made clear internally that such proposals will not remain on the table indefinitely.
Atletico, however, have shown no willingness to engage.
The club’s chief executive, Miguel Angel Gil Marin, recently dismissed any suggestion that Atletico could be persuaded to alter their position, insisting: “لم نقبل عرض الـ 100 مليون يورو، ولن نقبل عرض الـ 150 مليون يورو او الـ 200 مليون يورو” – “We did not accept the €100m offer, and we will not accept a €150m offer or a €200m offer.”
His remarks underline Atletico’s determination to keep the Argentina international, even in the face of strong interest and the player’s wish to move.
Barca planning improved offer below Real Madrid figure
Journalist Santi Ovalle, speaking on Cadena SER’s programme “El Larguero”, outlined what is believed to be Barcelona’s next step.
“سيقدم نادي برشلونة عرضا جديدا، وان لم يكن ذلك قريبا. انه عرض يتراوح بين 120 و130 مليونا، لانهم لم يرغبوا في الوصول الى مبلغ 150 مليونا الذي عرضه ريال مدريد في اي وقت مضى”.
That translates to a plan for a new bid in the region of €120m to €130m – significantly higher than the opening proposal, but still below the €150m level Ovalle says was previously put forward “at some point” by Real Madrid.
Barcelona’s hierarchy are said to view this as their top-end range for Alvarez, wary of engaging in a bidding war that could distort their wider transfer strategy and financial planning.
31 July deadline as Deco lines up alternatives
The report adds that Barcelona have set 31 July as an internal cut-off point to complete a deal. If no agreement is reached by then, sporting director Deco is expected to turn decisively to other options, with work on alternative transfer targets already under way.
The self-imposed deadline reflects both financial prudence and sporting urgency. With pre-season preparations advancing and the new campaign drawing closer, Barcelona are keen to give their next centre-forward enough time to integrate into the squad and Xavi’s tactical set-up.
Despite this, Barcelona continue to see Alvarez as their primary objective in the current transfer window, even as they compete against the clock and an intransigent negotiating partner.
Alvarez told to report after World Cup final
Atletico have already informed Alvarez of their plans for him in the short term. The club expects the forward to report back for pre-season training on 10 August, following his participation with Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final.
That timetable further complicates Barcelona’s pursuit. Any delay beyond their 31 July internal deadline would almost certainly push the operation into mid-August, leaving little margin for squad adaptation before the season starts.
For now, Barcelona’s stance is to push once more with an increased offer, but to be ready to walk away and activate Plan B if Atletico maintain their refusal to negotiate – even at sums approaching €130m.
