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The seemingly endless Julián Alvarez transfer saga took yet another turn on Wednesday when Barcelona president Joan Laporta confirmed the club remains "very interested in the player."
Barcelona have spent the entire transfer window working to make the 26-year-old striker the long-term successor to Robert Lewandowski in Catalonia. An opening bid was swiftly rejected by Atlético Madrid in late May, and Los Rojiblancos have since refused to even enter discussions over a potential Alvarez deal with the Spanish club.
Yet Barcelona have not turned their attention to other striking options, with Alvarez still their top target. With just six days remaining in the summer window, Laporta made one last push for a resolution by speaking openly about Barça's desire to sign the Argentine.
"The truth is that we're very interested in the player [Alvarez]," Laporta said in a video posted on Barcelona's official platforms. "We'd like our offer to be accepted and we say this with all due respect for Atlético Madrid. And we want them to know if they are open to selling this summer transfer window, we would be willing to buy the player in accordance with the offer we've submitted to them."
Laporta went further, offering a thorough account of how their pursuit of Alvarez has played out to this point.
"Before anything," Laporta said. "We have the utmost respect for Atletico Madrid and a personal appreciation for their executives as well, because we've known each other for many years. This whole situation has generated a great deal of noise. This is not caused by anything Barca have done. It stems from the fact that Atletico told us they were not selling [Alvarez].
"However, it now appears, from what we are hearing, that they are trying to reach agreements with other clubs. I want to tell Enrique Cerezo, with all the respect because I appreciate him a lot, that Barca have conducted themselves to the standards required in this situation, just as we do with other clubs.
"It happened to us this window with Manchester City, as well as other clubs. We approach them to see if they want to sell one of their players. When they tell us they don't sell, we move on. But in this case, there are special circumstances that have made it clear Atletico Madrid are willing to sell the player to other clubs."
Atletico Madrid Say They Are The 'Victims' of Alvarez Saga
As has been the pattern throughout this transfer saga, it didn't take long for Atlético Madrid to fire back at Laporta's remarks, once again expressing frustration at Barcelona's conduct and reiterating that they will not allow Alvarez to join the Catalans.
"The player is being portrayed as the victim, but the only victims in the Julian case are us," Atlético Madrid said in a statement, per Marca. "We have been harmed both financially and socially. There is a 0% chance of selling him to Barça.
"This situation isn't about money, it's about dignity. A campaign full of lies and half-truths have been created. The only ones paying the price for all this are Atlético."
Despite relentless pressure from both Barcelona and Alvarez himself, Atlético Madrid continue to hold firm, even after the Argentine was met with jeers and hostile chants from Atléti supporters during the club's home opener over the weekend.
The relationship between player and club appears irreparably damaged, yet that has done little to shift Los Rojiblancos' stance. A sale to Barcelona remains off the table; a move to another club, however, could be a different story.
It's Barcelona or Nothing for Julián Alvarez—Report
The fractured relationship between Alvarez and Atléti has led the club to consider letting him go, provided his next destination is not Barcelona—which is precisely what Laporta hinted at in his remarks. Premier League title holders Arsenal are the only other club with a genuine interest in signing the unhappy striker.
Atlético Madrid may be open to talks with the Gunners, and Mikel Arteta's side has the financial resources to complete such a deal. The complication, however, is that Alvarez reportedly has no desire to return to English football.
According to Gastón Edul, Arsenal's proposal could exceed Barcelona's original offer, but Alvarez is not drawn to the prospect of a Premier League return—having previously spent two seasons with Man City—due to personal and family reasons.
With under a week left in the window, Barcelona remain the sole club Alvarez has his heart set on joining. Ironically, they are also the one club Atléti flatly refuse to sell him to. Based on all available evidence, there is little reason to expect Los Rojiblancos to change their position before the summer deadline arrives.