Atletico Madrid are considering legal action against Barcelona over their pursuit of Julian Alvarez, escalating a transfer saga that burst into public view in the middle of the World Cup.
The Argentina striker went on television after his country’s group game against Austria to say he wants to leave Atletico and join Barcelona. The club’s response arrived within hours.
According to transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, Atletico’s position has not softened. Alvarez is not for sale to Barcelona at any price, and the club are now ready to challenge the Catalans over how the move has been handled behind the scenes.
Atletico Madrid’s hardline response to Barcelona and Alvarez
Alvarez made his feelings public in an interview (via BeanymanSports), choosing a live television appearance over a statement or social media post.
Romano laid out the striker’s decision and its timing. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said: “Julian Alvarez, right after the game between Argentina and Austria, decided to go strong, to go public and to announce his desire to leave Atletico Madrid to fulfill his dream.”
The club have insisted Alvarez is not for sale to Barcelona. They set no price for the Catalan side, and pointed any suitor toward his release clause, reported at €500 million.
Then came the threat of legal action.
Romano continued: “Atletico Madrid are open to the possibility of taking Barcelona to court for approaching the player behind the scenes without the approval of the club — to go against Barcelona, to FIFA, to discuss this topic.
“So you can feel how tense the story is, how still very tense, because we have different positions here.”
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Where the Julian Alvarez saga goes next
Romano has long maintained that Alvarez wants the move and that the framework of a deal is in place. He traced it back to the €100 million bid Barcelona sent two days before the Champions League final.
He added: “They were never going to send that bid if they didn’t have an agreement with Julian Alvarez. The agreement was done. The contract is ready. Julian wants to go to Barcelona and everything is agreed with his agent.”
Romano also pointed to the player’s relationship with manager Diego Simeone, which he described as cold to the point of being almost non-existent — not openly hostile, but past the point of working together.
Other clubs circled without success. Romano said both Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain made approaches, only for Alvarez to tell them his focus was Barcelona. Real Madrid, who lodged a €150 million bid earlier in the window, have gone quiet since.
With weeks still left before the window closes, Atletico hold the cards — keep a player they value, or accept he wants out and open talks elsewhere, even as Barcelona wait.
- READ MORE: Argentina insider claims Julian Alvarez only had eyes for Barcelona and ‘never’ Real Madrid
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