Julian Alvarez ready to escalate Barcelona bid after Atletico meeting disappoints

Julian Alvarez is prepared to take his attempt to join Barcelona to senior Atletico de Madrid figures after a conversation with Diego Simeone failed to produce the response he wanted.

The Argentina striker spoke to his manager shortly before Wednesday morning’s training session, according to Catalan newspaper Sport, as tensions surrounding his future continue to grow. Alvarez is hoping to leave Atletico de Madrid for Barcelona this summer.

However, the discussion reportedly ended with Simeone reiterating the club’s position that it does not intend to sell the player. The manager is said to have focused on Atletico’s decision rather than listening to the arguments put forward by Alvarez, leaving the forward and those close to him deeply frustrated.

Alvarez believes Simeone could have played an important role in persuading Atletico’s leadership to reconsider its position. The coach made considerable efforts to convince him to move to Madrid, and the pair have developed a strong relationship since Alvarez joined the club.

That relationship appears to have been damaged by the latest exchange. According to Sport, Alvarez left the brief conversation extremely disappointed after Simeone told him he would continue to rely on him during the season and do everything possible to help him develop as a player.

The striker and his representatives reportedly felt the response did not adequately acknowledge his concerns. They believe the pressure on Alvarez is increasing as time passes without any progress towards opening negotiations with Barcelona.

Alvarez is said to feel that Simeone is not handling the situation in the right way. He trusted the coach and his sporting project when he chose to leave England for Atletico, despite having other options available to him.

The player and his camp also believe there was an understanding that he would be allowed to leave this summer if a suitable offer arrived for Atletico. They now feel that confidence is beginning to collapse because Simeone has sided completely with the club during the dispute.

According to the same report, Alvarez and those around him believe the manager has “washed his hands of the matter” and chosen to look the other way rather than support the player’s position.

With a route through Simeone apparently closed, Alvarez’s camp is expected to raise the issue at a higher level. Sport says the striker will not abandon his wish to move to Barcelona and intends to continue applying pressure in an effort to secure the transfer.

If Simeone does not respond to his demands, Alvarez will reportedly wait for Atletico chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin to return before seeking a face-to-face meeting with him.

Alvarez and his representatives maintain that Gil Marin previously promised to make it easier for the player to leave during the current summer transfer window. They now believe the Atletico executive has stepped back from those assurances and is instead determined to retain Alvarez at any cost.

For now, Atletico’s stated position remains that the striker is not for sale, while Alvarez’s camp continues to push for a move to Barcelona. The disagreement has therefore shifted from a private discussion with the manager to a wider confrontation involving the club’s senior leadership.