For the past year, Barcelona has consistently been linked with Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez, and it appears their pursuit is now gaining momentum. While Alvarez has generally tried to steer clear of transfer speculation, he hasn’t entirely ruled out a move.
Alvarez has been identified by Barcelona as a potential successor to Robert Lewandowski, with the club actively seeking a high-quality number nine. However, Atletico Madrid has maintained that Alvarez, who is under contract until 2030, is not available for transfer and has no pressing need to consider selling him.
According to reports from El Chiringuito, Alvarez has communicated his desire to join Barcelona this summer. While this remains unconfirmed by other sources, the report suggests that Barcelona has initiated contact with Atletico through intermediaries to discuss a potential deal. ESPN corroborates this, adding that Barcelona President Joan Laporta intends to personally oversee negotiations with Atletico Madrid Sporting Director Mateu Alemany, acknowledging the complexity of such a transfer.
The same report from El Chiringuito has also outlined Barcelona’s proposed opening offer for Alvarez. Jose Alvarez claims that Barcelona plans to offer €70-75 million, along with a player as part of the deal. The specific player has not been identified, although Ferran Torres has previously been mentioned as a potential target for Atletico. Despite this, Atletico’s strong stance on keeping Alvarez suggests that any swap deal could face significant obstacles.
Speaking on Monday ahead of Atletico’s Champions League match against Arsenal, Alvarez stated that he cannot constantly address transfer rumors and prefers to focus his energy on match preparation. Spanish media outlets have noted his consistent avoidance of definitive statements about his future.
