Julian Alvarez’s proposed move from Atletico de Madrid to Barcelona is approaching a decisive stage, with the Argentina striker due to return to training on 10 August and Atletico maintaining that they will not sell him to a direct La Liga rival.
Alvarez has made clear his intention to leave Atletico and join Barcelona, but the Madrid club has firmly rejected the Catalan side’s offer of €100m for the forward. According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona’s only remaining route to signing the player would be to trigger his €500m release clause.
That figure appears to place the transfer beyond Barcelona’s reach and has left Alvarez’s future increasingly uncertain as his return to Diego Simeone’s squad draws closer.
Atletico recognise that finding a replacement of comparable quality would be extremely difficult. However, the club has not completely ruled out the possibility of reaching an agreement that would see Alvarez move abroad if he continues to insist on leaving.
Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain have been identified as the two leading possible destinations outside Spain. Such a solution would not appeal to Alvarez, who does not want to leave the country.
A move to Paris is also becoming less likely. Paris Saint-Germain have made significant progress in their efforts to sign Ferran Torres from Barcelona, meaning they are unlikely to pursue Alvarez as well. The Argentine has previously told Paris Saint-Germain that he was not interested in joining them, having chosen Atletico de Madrid over the French club in the past.
Arsenal’s position could also be affected by developments involving Real Madrid. The Premier League club is currently trying 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, making it less likely that Arsenal would also attempt to pay a substantial fee for Alvarez. That would further reduce the striker’s potential alternatives if Atletico refuse to negotiate with Barcelona.
Atletico are preparing for Alvarez to remain at the club for another season and are counting down to his return to training under Simeone. Barcelona, meanwhile, do not want to make any rushed decisions and are keeping the situation open as they assess whether circumstances in the summer transfer market could change.
For now, Atletico’s refusal to sell directly to Barcelona, the €500m release clause and the uncertainty surrounding possible moves to Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain have left Alvarez caught between his desire to depart and a series of increasingly limited options. The coming weeks could determine the outcome of one of the summer’s most closely watched transfer sagas.
