Atletico Madrid reject pressure over Julian Alvarez as Barcelona interest grows

Atletico Madrid chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin has reiterated that Julian Alvarez is not for sale and says the club will only consider his departure if his €500m release clause is paid.

With speculation continuing over Barcelona’s interest in the Argentina striker and the transfer window approaching its conclusion, Gil Marin insisted Atletico’s position had not changed. He said Alvarez remained essential to the club’s ambition of competing with Europe’s leading sides.

“Atletico Madrid, like all the major clubs, is built around great players, and I am certain Julian is one of them, as well as being a great professional,” Gil Marin told the Spanish news agency. “We have to compete through our values, through players developed by the club and through the best players from abroad that we can sign.”

He added: “We will help Julian and continue to look after him so that he can fulfil all his potential for us, because we need him to continue competing among the best clubs in Europe.”

Alvarez’s future has been the subject of sustained attention since he publicly expressed a desire to leave Atletico following Argentina’s match against Austria at the World Cup. Exactly 60 days have passed since the player made those comments.

“The best thing for everyone is to move on, I want to fulfil my dream,” Alvarez said at the time. He also revealed what that ambition was, after previously avoiding the subject: a move to Barcelona.

Since then, Atletico’s response has been to reject the possibility of Alvarez leaving unless another club pays the €500m release clause included in his contract. Gil Marin’s latest comments reaffirmed that stance.

He also addressed the external pressure surrounding the player and questioned the advice Alvarez had received in recent months.

“We must understand that Julian has not been close to the best advisers regarding his professional career over the past few months,” he said.

Gil Marin then accused other clubs and media outlets aligned with them of attempting to influence Atletico’s decisions.

“The club will not allow other clubs and media outlets close to them to decide what we must do, determine our sporting strategy or insult us,” he said.

“This is exactly what they are looking for: to divide us. It is clear that we do not have the same strength they have, but we have our values. Atletico Madrid supporters will not allow them to tarnish us. Atletico Madrid is strong when we are all united.”

The Atletico chief executive’s comments come as Barcelona’s reported interest continues to dominate discussion around Alvarez. However, the Madrid club has again made clear that it intends to retain the forward and views him as a key part of its plans.

Unless his release clause is met, Atletico’s stated position is that Alvarez will remain at the club.