Atletico Madrid rule out talks with Barcelona over Julian Alvarez

Atletico Madrid have ruled out negotiating the sale of Julian Alvarez to Barcelona, despite the Spanish champions retaining hope of signing the Argentina international before the transfer window closes.

The Atletico board has “unanimously expressed their full support” for the club’s decision not to discuss Alvarez’s transfer with Barcelona. However, the Madrid club said it remained open to approaches from other sides, with Arsenal reported to have shown interest in the forward in recent days.

“There has not been and there will not be any negotiation with them (Barcelona) regarding Alvarez’s transfer,” Atletico said in a statement.

The club added that it was “open to negotiations inherent to the transfer market”, but only “in an ethical and professional manner and with respect between clubs”.

Atletico said Barcelona had failed to meet those standards, although it did not explain what had led to that conclusion. The club had previously reported Barcelona’s pursuit of Alvarez to FIFA and the Spanish football federation.

Atletico also said it was “convinced” Alvarez “will understand the decision, focusing on working in the best possible way to help the club achieve its objectives”.

The statement came a day after Barcelona president Joan Laporta said his club remained optimistic about completing a deal for the 2022 World Cup winner before the transfer window closes.

Laporta said Barcelona still had an offer on the table for the 26-year-old, with reports putting its value at about 100m euros. Barcelona have made Alvarez their main attacking target as they look to strengthen their forward line following the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres.

The transfer dispute has intensified amid uncertainty over Alvarez’s immediate future at Atletico. The striker missed training for a second successive day on Wednesday because of a reported illness.

His absence followed Atletico’s 2-2 La Liga draw with Villarreal on Sunday, during which he was jeered by sections of the club’s support. Alvarez said in July, during the World Cup, that a move would be “best” for everyone.

Alvarez joined Atletico from Manchester City in 2024 in a deal that could eventually be worth up to 95m euros.

The latest stance from Atletico appears to close the door on a deal with Barcelona while leaving the club willing to consider other possibilities in the market. Their statement did not rule out negotiations with clubs other than Barcelona, but made clear that any discussions would have to be conducted according to the standards Atletico says it expects from its transfer dealings.