Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez remains a significant question mark for the club heading into the summer transfer window. Following his own non-committal statements regarding his future, a key figure at the club is now reportedly open to his sale.
Alvarez has been consistently linked with a move to Barcelona over the past year, with Paris Saint-Germain recently emerging as strong contenders. Atletico Madrid, on the other hand, has consistently maintained that the player is not for sale and has offered him a wage increase and a new contract to encourage him to stay.
Mateu Alemany Considers Julian Alvarez Sale
According to Cadena SER, Atletico’s Sporting Director, Mateu Alemany, is open to the possibility of selling Alvarez this summer. Alemany believes that a major sale could provide the necessary funds to pursue several other transfer targets, thereby improving the squad overall. While Alvarez reportedly has a good relationship with manager Diego Simeone, his agents are believed to be behind many of the rumors surrounding his future.
Alemany has publicly denied any intention to sell Alvarez. However, following recent meetings with LaLiga, Atletico is now operating under the assumption that the arrival of Apollo Sports as their new majority shareholder will not lead to a substantial increase in their transfer budget. Consequently, selling Alvarez could be a means of financing a more ambitious summer spending spree.
Barcelona Shifts Focus from Julian Alvarez Pursuit
Meanwhile, Barcelona, who initially identified Alvarez as a priority signing, appears to be redirecting their efforts elsewhere. Reports indicate that Chelsea forward Joao Pedro is now their primary target. Onda Cero suggests that Barcelona now considers a deal for Alvarez to be impossible. As a result, they are reportedly preparing to offer a new contract to Ferran Torres. While they had considered using Torres as a makeweight in a potential Alvarez deal, which reportedly did not impress the former Manchester City forward, Barcelona now intends to extend his current contract.
This development, coupled with the departure of Robert Lewandowski, suggests a shift in Barcelona’s attacking strategy. While Alvarez would have offered a different profile of a number nine, if Atletico is indeed to sell him, PSG appears to be the more probable destination for the World Cup winner. This would allow Atletico to potentially secure a better price and avoid strengthening a direct rival.
