The future of Julián Alvarez at Atletico Madrid remains uncertain, with the Argentine striker strongly linked with a potential move to Barcelona.
Reports from various sources indicate that Alvarez still dreams of joining Barcelona, despite Atletico Madrid making it clear that they have no intention of selling him, particularly to the Catalan giants.
Alvarez returned to Atletico training after completing his World Cup duties, but speculation over his desire to leave the club has continued.
Barcelona Pushes, Atletico Says No
Barcelona have been closely monitoring Alvarez and were reportedly prepared to submit an offer of around €100 million, but Atletico have continued to insist that they do not want to sell the forward to Barcelona.
The club’s leadership has taken such a firm stance that it is reportedly unwilling to let him leave even for a significantly higher fee.
Coach Diego Simeone has also insisted that Alvarez remains an important part of his plans. However, the striker was left out of Atletico’s squad for their opening LaLiga match of the 2026/27 season against Malaga.
Simeone cited fitness concerns as the reason, although other reports have linked the decision to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the player’s future.
Atletico Wary of Strengthening Barcelona
Atletico appear particularly concerned that selling Alvarez to Barcelona could strengthen one of their direct rivals. Reports suggest that if the Madrid club eventually decides to sell, they would prefer an offer from Arsenal rather than Barcelona.
Meanwhile, Barcelona have begun exploring alternative forwards in case they fail to sign Alvarez, with Viktor Gyökeres emerging as one of the names being considered.
