Children at Secret Meeting with Álvarez's Agent in Madrid
Barcelona's sporting director seeks a path to Atlético's striker, though the Madrid club won't hear of negotiations.
Barcelona's sporting director seeks a path to Atlético's striker, though the Madrid club won't hear of negotiations.
Barcelona is intensifying its operation to bring in Julián Álvarez. The club's sporting director, Deco, traveled to Madrid for a meeting with Fernando Hidalgo, the agent of Atlético Madrid's Argentine striker, as reported by Goal.com and Marca on August 5, 2026.
Deco's assistant, João Amaral, also attended the meeting, which Catalan media describe as highly discreet. The goal was not to finalize a transfer but to define a strategy and assess the realistic chances of making it happen.
Atlético Madrid is taking an uncompromising position. The club has no intention of letting go of a player it considers a cornerstone of Diego Simeone's project. Since arriving from Manchester City, Álvarez has established himself as one of the most prominent strikers in the Spanish league, putting him at the top of Barcelona's priority list.
According to Spanish newspaper Sport, this meeting represents a new step in the strategy that Barcelona's board has been developing for months. The talks primarily served to clarify next moves and weigh options in an extremely complex process.
Barcelona's interest is further fueled by the squad situation in attack. Marca reports that coach Hansi Flick is insisting on bringing in a center-forward, a position left vacant after Robert Lewandowski's departure. The situation is further complicated by Ferran Torres's expressed doubts about staying at the club.
President Joan Laporta and Deco are aware that the path is full of obstacles, especially due to the complicated relationship between the two clubs. Still, Barcelona believes that the player's desire to move to Camp Nou could be a significant advantage.
Barcelona intends to maintain a close relationship with agent Fernando Hidalgo to be ready to react to any change in circumstances. Goal.com reports that the aim is to devise a plan that could convince Atlético Madrid or capitalize on any development in the coming months.
Although the meeting in Madrid should not be interpreted as a sign of an imminent deal, Barcelona does not want to close the door as long as there is even the slightest chance of bringing in the 2022 world champion.
