Atletico Madrid reject Barcelona’s €100m bid for striker Julian Alvarez
Atletico Madrid have rejected a €100m bid from Barcelona for striker Julian Alvarez, despite the existence of a complex release clause that could facilitate his departure.
The 26-year-old has made it clear to the Spanish club that he wishes to leave the Metropolitano Stadium this summer.
Catalonia is his firm preference, but Atletico maintain their prized asset is not for sale and continue to point publicly to his official €500m buyout clause.
However, it is understood that special provisions were included in the Argentine international’s contract when he arrived from Manchester City in 2024.
Complicated contract clauses
These hidden terms supposedly allow certain Champions League clubs to sign the prolific forward for a fee significantly lower than €150m.
Club chief executive Miguel Angel Gil and former sporting director Andrea Berta negotiated these exit options, leaving Atletico vulnerable to a domestic rival.
The Madrid side have been left angered by Barcelona’s highly public pursuit of the former Premier League star.
They vehemently deny that active club-to-club negotiations are currently taking place.
Arsenal and Real Madrid interest
Arsenal have also identified the defending World Cup champion as a dream target as manager Mikel Arteta looks to bolster his Premier League title-winning squad.
Bournemouth’s Junior Kroupi and Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers are currently being considered as attacking alternatives for the Gunners.
Arsenal’s sporting director Berta made informal enquiries earlier this year regarding the player he initially took to Spain.
Despite the interest from north London, the attacker is reportedly entirely uninterested in securing a return to English football.
Rumours have also circulated in the Spanish press regarding a potential move to city rivals Real Madrid.
“We have no information on the matter and no one has contacted us about it.”
That was the firm response from the player’s agent, Fernando Hidalgo, when questioned about links to the Santiago Bernabeu.
World Cup focus
For now, the forward’s immediate focus remains firmly on international duty.
He is currently with the Argentina squad in Mexico preparing for the start of the 2026 World Cup.
The defending champions begin their campaign against Algeria in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
He enters the tournament on the back of another impressive domestic campaign, having scored 20 goals last season to take his overall Atletico tally to 49.