Atletico insist there is "0% chance" of selling Julian Alvarez to Barcelona
Atletico Madrid said on Wednesday there was "0% chance" of selling Julian Alvarez to Barcelona after Barcelona president Joan Laporta reiterated the club's interest in the forward during the summer transfer window. The statement followed a video from Laporta and comes amid sustained transfer speculation around the Argentina World Cup finalist.
Alvarez has been the subject of intense transfer talk this summer and was jeered by Atletico supporters during their draw with Villarreal; he then missed training on Wednesday with reports saying he was unwell. Atletico condemned Laporta's video, which said Barcelona's €100m (£85.7m) offer remained on the table, and issued a statement that included: "This is not about money, it's about dignity. The player is being victimised, but the only victim in the Julian case is us. They have harmed us economically and socially. There is 0% chance of selling him to Barca. There is a campaign of many lies and half-truths. The only one paying for this is Atletico." Alvarez joined Atletico from Manchester City in 2024.
In the video, Laporta said the club had great respect for Atletico but that the bid they lodged earlier this summer was still on offer. Barcelona sources say the club remains engaged in trying to sign Alvarez as the window continues.
Arsenal have also been linked to the striker, with the transfer described in the source material as the Gunners' dream target, but sources close to the situation say Alvarez still wants to stay in Spain. For now, Arsenal are "sitting back and watching this unfold, as they become more realistic about their chances of signing Alvarez before next week's transfer deadline."
During the Villarreal match Alvarez started on the bench, was jeered while warming up and was met with louder boos after coming on in the 66th minute; at full-time he headed straight down the tunnel rather than joining teammates applauding the fans, which drew further boos. Atleti boss Diego Simeone suggested afterwards that it had been a pre-agreed club decision for the forward to head straight to the dressing room.
The first formal approach on the table came from Barcelona in May, after which Atletico publicly denied any intention to sell and posted social media messages mocking Barca's pursuit and calling themselves victims of a "smear campaign". In June, Real Madrid made a €150m (£130m) offer that Atletico rejected, with Real pointing to Alvarez's €500m (£430m) release clause and saying Atletico had "expressed its gratitude for the proposal"; Atletico again denied any gratitude and reiterated they would not sell the player to Barcelona. Chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin said the club would not sell him "even for 200m euros (£170.8m)".
After Argentina's win over Austria in June, Alvarez told media he had spoken to Atletico and said that "the best thing for everyone is a transfer", adding: "I want to fulfil my dream". Alvarez scored 20 goals and provided nine assists last season. Before Barcelona's match against Athletic Club on Thursday, head coach Hansi Flick declined to discuss Alvarez directly, saying: "I only want to speak about the situation of the club."
With deadline day approaching on 1 September, the war of words between the clubs continues and Alvarez's future remains one of the biggest talking points of the transfer window; Barcelona say they will keep trying to sign him until the transfer window ends while Arsenal remain on the sidelines, reassessing their realistic chances.