The Julian Alvarez saga appears to have no end in sight this summer, as Barcelona continue to test the waters at Atletico Madrid.
Just when it seemed Alvarez would continue at Atleti, the forward’s comments about wanting to leave the Spanish capital have sparked a resurgence in Barça’s interest.
Atletico Madrid remain firm that they will not sell their top player to a direct La Liga rival for anything less than the €500 million release clause. But Barcelona have refused to give up.
Barcelona poised for a fresh bid
Alvarez’s future remains in limbo. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
According to The Athletic, all signs point to Barcelona making a new proposal to Atletico Madrid for Alvarez once the World Cup concludes.
The report suggests that the fresh proposal could reach a figure of around €130 million, and crucially, Barcelona insist they can afford it.
While acknowledging that relations with Atletico have been tense over the past few weeks, the Catalans are hopeful that the Madrid club will at least entertain talks in the near future.
Barcelona feel they got exactly what they wanted when Alvarez publicly declared his desire to leave Atletico and fulfil his dream of a move to the Camp Nou.
That public push is now seen as a key lever in their pursuit, and the club intend to capitalise on it with a concrete offer after the tournament.
Sales needed to fund further moves
Alvarez has been quiet in the World Cup so far. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
However, in order to afford such a big money move for Alvarez, Barcelona would likely require fresh sales, as the club are still reeling from poor financials.
Barcelona would also like to strengthen defensively. This was precisely why they did not pursue Marc Cucurella, who ultimately joined Real Madrid.
Barcelona admired the option but would have needed to offload Alejandro Balde before considering a deal.
On the outgoing front, Ansu Fati is expected to complete a move to Monaco, with the €11 million buy option set to be activated.
Marc Casado is another who could depart, with agent Jorge Mendes working on a solution and Saudi Arabia among the options. Barcelona are seeking a fee of around €25 million for the midfielder.
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