Barcelona talks with Atletico over Julian Alvarez move set to continue

Fabrizio Romano says negotiations between Barcelona and Atletico de Madrid over a possible move for Julian Alvarez will continue in the coming days, with the Spanish clubs still discussing the Argentina striker.

Barcelona are considering signing a new forward and, according to Romano, Alvarez remains central to those plans. However, the outcome of the proposed transfer is expected to depend more on Atletico than on Barcelona.

Romano, the Italian journalist known for his transfer-market coverage, said: “They will try to sign him, that is certain. Whether they can complete the deal depends more on Atletico de Madrid than Barcelona, but the negotiations between the two clubs will continue.”

He added that Barcelona are waiting to see how the situation develops before making a final decision, but believes the club will eventually bring in another striker.

“Yes, I think they will sign a striker in the end,” Romano said. “At the moment, they are waiting to see what happens with Julian Alvarez, but the intention is to sign a forward.”

Romano was speaking in Milan while attending the semi-finals of the Kings League World Cup, the competition created by former Barcelona defender Gerard Pique. His comments were reported by Spanish newspaper Sport.

Asked which transfer had surprised him most during the current summer window, Romano selected Marc Cucurella’s move to Real Madrid.

He also named Morgan Rogers’ transfer to Chelsea as the best deal completed so far this summer, explaining: “Because he is a top player and he arrived at the perfect team for him.”

The journalist was then asked to identify the most important transfer exclusive of his career. He replied: “Thomas Tuchel’s arrival at Bayern Munich, because nobody expected it. Also, Marc Cucurella’s transfer to Real Madrid this summer was incredible.”

Romano was invited to choose one player he would sign if he were the president of a football club. He first sought clarification over whether the question related to traditional football or the Kings League.

“In football or in the Kings League?” he asked. “In the Kings League, I would really like to sign Gerard Pique. I have always been a big admirer of Gerard and I would like to have him in my defence.”

For professional football, Romano chose Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal.

“Lamine Yamal, he is a unique player,” he said.

The comments come as Barcelona assess their attacking options ahead of the new season. The club’s interest in Alvarez is known, but Atletico’s position will be decisive in determining whether a deal can be reached. Romano’s latest assessment indicates that discussions remain active rather than finalised, with both sides expected to remain in contact in the days ahead.

Away from the transfer market, Romano was also asked how many messages he receives on WhatsApp each day. He replied: “I don’t know, a huge number. I have between 80 and 90 chats open, so there is always something going on.”