ไทย
English
中國人
Enrique Cerezo reiterated his position on Julián Alvarez, daring any interested clubs to meet the striker's €500 million ($580 million) buyout clause. However, the Atlético Madrid president appeared to undercut his own credibility by repeatedly calling his star player "Julián Lopez."
Álvarez's future is rapidly turning into one of the summer's biggest transfer stories, with Barcelona and Real Madrid among the sides reportedly keen on securing his signature.
Barça had been considered the leading candidates for the Argentine international. Back in May, reports of a €100 million ($116 million) offer were followed by a social media rant from Atlético, which saw the club cheekily counter with mock bids to sign Lamine Yamal, Pedri and Raphinha.
Real Madrid then reportedly submitted their own offer of €150 million ($173 million) for Álvarez. Atlético once again fired back at the notion of a bid from a fierce rival, posting that Real Madrid "make us laugh more than Barcelona."
More recently, Champions League finalists Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal are also believed to be monitoring the situation closely.
Julián 'López' Not for Sale
🔴🕸️"No tenemos constancia de que Julián Álvarez quiera irse"
🎙Enrique Cerezo, presidente del @Atleti, confirma que recibió la oferta del @realmadrid por el astro argentino, con el que tiene un pequeño lapsus con su apellido pic.twitter.com/USliDNdTjf
Cerezo has consistently denied the possibility of Álvarez being sold this summer and once again made his position clear to reporters, even as his apparent frustration caused him to mix up his own player's name.
"Yes, Florentino's offer from Real Madrid arrived, and you already know what was said to them. You keep bringing this up, and one grows tired of it," Cerezo said while speaking at the Sports Summit Madrid.
"Julián López is an Atlético player, and whoever wants Julián López should come, look at the contract, and if they're interested, they can take him; and if they're not interested, they won't."
Cerezo's mention of "López's" contract is a clear nod to the €500 million release clause embedded in his deal, which runs through 2030.
"It seems to be the big story of the summer. You all know exactly how things stand. He's an Atlético de Madrid player, and I believe he will continue to be an Atlético de Madrid player," Cerezo added.
"Enough of this Julián López saga. Julián López is an Atlético de Madrid player. Is that clear? Good, that's all. The day he isn't, you'll find out."
Could Alvarez Still Move Despite Cerezo's Denials?
Cerezo's resolute stance is unlikely to put an end to the speculation surrounding Álvarez—however much he may wish it would.
While recent reports suggest Real Madrid have stepped back after being so quickly rebuffed by their city rivals, Barcelona could still push for a deal for the player they regard as a priority target.
Barça are said to be confident that the player is open to a move. However, as the situation drags on, they risk facing growing competition from clubs outside Spain that Atléti may be more willing to negotiate with. Meanwhile, Madrid's unexpected bid has effectively raised the floor for any future offers.
SI answers is our AI answer engine trained on human-created content.
Ultimately, if Álvarez is to depart Atlético this summer, a formal transfer request may need to be lodged in order to shift Cerezo's public position. The forward, currently representing Argentina at the World Cup, has kept his thoughts to himself so far.
Whatever the outcome, this saga shows little sign of reaching a conclusion anytime soon.