Julián Álvarez is determined to leave Atlético Madrid and move to Barcelona, but the Madrid club is not yielding. A legal battle is also in play, and the Catalans have already prepared a replacement just in case, Lautaro Martínez.
The transfer saga surrounding Julián Álvarez is taking on increasingly dramatic overtones. The Argentine striker of Atlético Madrid is determined to continue his career at Barcelona, but the Madrid club is not backing down from its firm stance, a sale is not an option unless someone triggers the release clause of a whopping half a billion euros.
Álvarez showed up at work in Madrid on Monday after a mandatory three-week rest period per FIFA regulations following his participation in the World Cup. He underwent medical tests and trained on his own in the gym. The planned meeting with coach Diego Simeone and CEO Miguel Ángel Gil Marín did not happen because they were not in town. Simeone had given the players two days off after returning from the preseason and marketing tour in South Korea, and he decided to spend the time with his family in Ibiza.
The disappointed Argentine, who had clearly expressed his desire to leave for Barcelona during the World Cup, then spent two hours with his agents strategizing next steps. According to Spanish media reports, he was furious about the absence of club officials, but he expects the meeting to happen on Wednesday. Atlético, meanwhile, said the meeting is "unnecessary" because they "have nothing to talk about" given that the 26-year-old has a valid contract until the summer of 2030.
Coach Diego Simeone had already commented on the whole situation on Saturday, before the match against Manchester City in Seoul (3-1 for City).
"The club has made a decision that Gil Marín has explained well. We are happy to have a player like Julián, and we will certainly help him continue to improve and give us his best. He has given us a lot in these two years, and we expect him to continue doing so, and we will do everything we can to help him, as we have done so far,"said Simeone, adding that he counts on Álvarez for the league opener against Málaga in Madrid on August 19.
In Spain, the possibility has now emerged that Álvarez could try to force his departure through legal means. Sports law expert Miguel Galán pointed to the case of Ibaio Zubiaurre from 2005, when a court reduced the release clause from 30 to 5 million euros, deeming the original amount excessive and disproportionate. That decision was later upheld by Spain's Supreme Court.
Galán believes that precedent opens a legal path to challenge Álvarez's €500 million clause, and former Barcelona official Toni Freixa agrees, pointing to the huge disparity between the clause, the player's salary, and his market value. Atlético, meanwhile, simply says: "Apologize and get back to work."
Barcelona is ready to spend serious money for Álvarez, according to AS, the offer is now around €120 million, while Jutarnji list reports €100 million. Atlético has rejected every offer, insisting on the full release clause. The Catalans are hoping for a favorable outcome but are aware they need a backup plan. With Robert Lewandowski leaving for Chicago Fire, the priority is to bring in a top striker, and the first alternative is another Argentine, Lautaro Martínez.
Inter's 28-year-old captain has a contract with the Milan club for another three years, and the "Nerazzurri" want at least €120 million for him. That's €20 million more than Barcelona offered for Álvarez. In eight years at Inter, Lautaro has played 376 matches, scored 175 goals, and provided 56 assists.
Barcelona's sporting director Deco and coach Hansi Flick are big fans of Martínez.
"Lautaro is capable of making runs between the lines and participating in build-up play, in addition to being very efficient inside the box,"Deco once said. Barcelona will wait a bit longer for the Álvarez saga to unfold, but they are not sitting idle and are preparing the ground for negotiations with Inter.
