World · Singapore Bureau
Atletico Madrid Firmly Rules Out Alvarez Sale to Barcelona
Atletico Madrid's chief executive has emphatically shut down any possibility of Julian Alvarez joining Barcelona, accusing the Catalan club of acting dishonestly in their pursuit of the Argentine forward.
LSN Singapore ·
MADRID — Atletico Madrid will not entertain any offer from Barcelona for striker Julian Alvarez, club chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin declared on Thursday, drawing a definitive line under weeks of transfer speculation.
Gil Marin's blunt rejection of Barcelona's interest came amid reports of ongoing negotiations between the two clubs over the Argentine international. The Atletico executive criticised Barcelona's conduct in the matter, suggesting the Spanish giants had not dealt transparently throughout the process.
"Julian Alvarez will never, ever join Barcelona," Gil Marin stated, leaving no ambiguity about the Spanish club's position. His comments represented a significant hardening of Atletico's stance and signalled that any further approaches from the Catalan side would be futile.
The 24-year-old Alvarez joined Atletico Madrid in 2022 from River Plate and has established himself as a key player in Diego Simeone's squad. Barcelona's interest in the forward reflects the club's ongoing efforts to strengthen their attacking options, though their financial constraints have limited their ability to pursue marquee signings in the transfer window.