Laporta Keeps Barcelona's Offer for Julián Álvarez on the Table, Wants First Refusal if Atlético Sells

Some soap operas just refuse to end, and the Julián Álvarez saga is one of them. On Wednesday it was Joan Laporta who added the latest chapter, confirming what many already suspected: Barcelona is still in the picture, offer on the table, waiting for its moment.

The day carried an extra twist. The Argentine forward did not train with Atlético Madrid because of what the club described as an "illness," according to Spanish media reports. Nothing serious on the surface, but the timing could hardly have been more conspicuous, right as his future is back in the headlines.

Álvarez, 26, had already let Atlético know he wants out. The club, though, remains firm in its refusal to let him go. That stance hasn't been helped by the mood inside the squad itself: the forward was left out of the matchday squad for the league opener, and when he came on as a substitute on Sunday, a section of the Atlético fan base greeted him with whistles.

The offer Laporta has no plans to withdraw

The Barcelona president was direct in comments to club media: the proposal he personally relayed by phone to Atlético director Miguel Ángel Gil remains on the table. He gave no figures or timeline, but the message was unmistakable.

Barça's offer is still valid if they want to sell him. From what's being said, it seems the player wants to come to Barça, so we're reiterating our interest and our intention, with all due respect to Atlético Madrid, to try to sign the player.Joan Laporta

Laporta went a step further, hinting that Barcelona would like to reach an understanding with the red-and-white club to secure first refusal if Atlético ultimately decides to open the door to a sale.

We'd like to reach an understanding with Atlético Madrid, and hopefully there's an agreement, that if they do sell the player, we would be the ones to acquire his services.Joan Laporta

The response from the Metropolitano wasn't long in coming. According to local media reports, Atlético reiterated that it has no intention of selling and accused Barcelona of publicly pushing to force a departure that, for now, isn't part of its plans.

To grasp just how difficult this move would be to pull off, it's worth recalling Álvarez's release clause: 500 million euros, roughly $582 million, a figure that works more as a wall than a starting point for negotiations. In fact, earlier this year Real Madrid itself tested the waters with an offer of 150 million euros, which Atlético turned down without much hesitation.

Barcelona isn't the only suitor. Arsenal, the reigning Premier League champion, is also on the radar as a potential buyer. With the transfer window moving forward and a locker room already showing cracks in its relationship with the fan base, Julián Álvarez's future looks set to keep generating headlines in the weeks ahead.