Julian Alvarez may have been linked to both of Spain’s biggest clubs, but according to Argentina insider Gaston Edul, there was only ever one destination the striker had his sights set on.
Alvarez’s future has become one of the summer’s biggest talking points after the Atletico Madrid forward publicly admitted he wants to leave the club in pursuit of what he described as his “dream”.
Barcelona remain heavily linked with the Argentina international, while Real Madrid have also been credited with making a huge attempt to bring him to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Gaston Edul says Julian Alvarez only wanted Barcelona
The well-connected Argentina journalist discussed Alvarez’s future while addressing Atletico Madrid’s attempts to keep hold of the striker.
Edul believes Atletico’s public resistance is largely part of the negotiation process and does not expect the club to keep the player long-term. Edul then made perhaps his strongest claim of all regarding Alvarez’s preferred destination.
“Julián Álvarez is not going to stay at Atlético. They act tough publicly to get more money, those are negotiation tactics. It’s going to be a long negotiation, but it’s impossible for them to keep him. Usually, the player’s position ends up winning.”
“I think he’ll play for Barcelona. It was never Real Madrid for him, never.”
That comment is particularly notable given the level of interest Real Madrid have reportedly shown in recent weeks.
Real Madrid reportedly made huge Alvarez offer before Barcelona push
Reports have suggested Real Madrid submitted a €150 million bid for Alvarez, a move many viewed as an attempt to hijack Barcelona’s pursuit of one of the most sought-after forwards in world football.
Atletico Madrid rejected the proposal, just as they are reported to have rejected Barcelona’s €100 million approach.
Despite those refusals, Alvarez has since publicly clarified his position. In an interview with ESPN, the Argentina striker admitted he had spoken with Atletico officials and believes leaving the club is now the best solution.
Those comments have strengthened Barcelona’s hopes of eventually reaching an agreement, while also supporting Edul’s belief that a player’s wishes often prove decisive in transfer sagas of this magnitude.
For now, Atletico continue to resist and negotiations could take time. But if Edul is correct, the battle between Barcelona and Real Madrid was never really a battle at all, because Alvarez only had eyes for Camp Nou.
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