Julian Alvarez’s agent, Fernando Hidalgo, has appeared to criticise Atletico de Madrid’s position on the forward’s future after the Spanish club rejected an approach from Barcelona during the ongoing summer transfer window.
Hidalgo posted a message on Instagram that was widely understood to be directed at Atletico de Madrid officials.
“Never ask a liar why they lied. To explain it, they’d have to lie again”.
The post came after Atletico de Madrid refused to sell Alvarez to Barcelona, while insisting that the Argentina international had not been promised permission to leave the club this summer.
The club’s position is that Alvarez can depart only if his release clause is paid in full. Atletico de Madrid officials maintain that there is no other route for the 2026 World Cup forward to leave during this transfer window.
Hidalgo did not mention Atletico de Madrid, Barcelona or Alvarez directly in the Instagram message. However, the timing of the post, and its arrival after the club’s stance on the proposed transfer became clear, has led to it being viewed as an indirect response to the Madrid side’s position.
The disagreement centres on whether Alvarez had been given an understanding that he could leave Atletico de Madrid this summer. The club has rejected that suggestion and says the player received no such promise from its management.
Atletico de Madrid’s insistence on the release clause places the decision over Alvarez’s future on the payment of that figure rather than on negotiations between the two clubs. The club has not indicated that it is prepared to approve a departure on different terms.
Alvarez has reportedly made clear that he wants to leave Atletico de Madrid this summer. According to the source article, that desire was expressed after he represented Argentina at the 2026 World Cup.
The forward’s position and the club’s refusal to sanction a sale have created a dispute involving the player’s representatives and Atletico de Madrid’s leadership. Hidalgo’s latest message adds a public element to the disagreement, although neither the agent nor the club has provided further explanation in the quoted material.
For now, Atletico de Madrid’s stated condition remains unchanged: Alvarez will only be allowed to leave if his contractual release clause is met. The club also continues to deny that any commitment was made to facilitate his transfer this summer.
The matter therefore remains focused on two conflicting positions. Alvarez wants to depart, while Atletico de Madrid say that his exit depends solely on the release clause included in his contract. Barcelona’s interest has brought the issue into the public domain, and Hidalgo’s comment has increased attention on the dispute.
