Barcelona keeps its offer for Julian Alvarez alive as Atletico Madrid holds firm

It's not every day that a club president recounts a phone call with the top executive of a rival club in blow-by-blow detail. But Joan Laporta did exactly that, and in doing so confirmed what had already become an open secret in Barcelona: the club is still chasing Julian Alvarez, Atletico Madrid's Argentine forward.

In comments made to the club's official channels, the Barcelona president walked through, almost minute by minute, how the interest developed and what happened afterward. It all started, according to his account, with a formal offer from Barcelona to Atletico for the former River Plate man, a proposal that, he said, the coaching staff backed with real enthusiasm. Hansi Flick has had Alvarez in mind for some time.

But the offer didn't stop at paperwork. Laporta personally called Miguel Angel Gil Marin, Atletico's chief executive, to confirm in person that the interest was genuine and that the money was there. Atletico's response, according to Laporta, was unambiguous: no sale, because they have no way to replace him.

Here's how it went: at the time, Barca made an offer to Atletico Madrid for Julian, an offer we consider very significant, especially because our coach has genuine interest in the player.Joan Laporta

The offer stays on the table

The more interesting part comes next. Laporta admitted he'd received word that Atletico had sounded out other clubs to explore a possible sale of Julian Alvarez. And that's precisely when Barcelona decided not to back down: if the forward does leave, the club wants to be the destination, not just another bystander.

Then we got information that Atletico Madrid was talking to other clubs about the possibility of selling Julian. Of course, that information puts us in a position where, yes, we're keeping our offer in place, and we'd like them to sell him to us, not to another club.Joan Laporta

The Barcelona president also factored in something that carries more weight in soccer than it might seem: the player's own wishes. According to Laporta, it's common knowledge that Julian Alvarez wants to wear the Blaugrana shirt, something that, he insisted, only fuels the club's hope of getting the deal done.

Still, the Catalan executive was careful not to come across as pushy or disrespectful toward the rival club. He repeated several times that Barcelona's desire isn't about going over Atletico's head, but about reaching an understanding between the two institutions if the forward ever becomes available on the market.

Julian Alvarez, 25, joined Atletico Madrid from Manchester City in the summer of 2024 and quickly became a key piece of the club's attack. His form, combined with Barcelona's open interest, promises to keep this storyline alive for much of the next transfer window, even if Atletico's door remains closed for now.