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Atlético Madrid striker Julián Alvarez reportedly "erupted" upon rejoining the squad in the Spanish capital on Monday, remaining firmly determined to push through a transfer to Barcelona before the window shuts.
The Argentine, contracted with Los Rojiblancos through June 2030, has been at the heart of a turbulent transfer saga throughout the summer. Alvarez openly declared his wish to depart the Metropolitano during the World Cup, boldly announcing he wants to "fulfill [his] dream," widely interpreted as a move to Barcelona.
However, Diego Simeone and the club hierarchy have no intention of releasing their prized asset. Atlético Madrid promptly rejected Barcelona's €100 million ($114 million) approach for the forward, followed by Real Madrid's rather questionable €150 million ($171.4 million) proposal. The club even filed an official complaint with the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), triggering an investigation into the Catalan club's pursuit of the 26-year-old.
Alvarez rejoined the squad on Monday after his summer vacation, and the atmosphere reportedly deteriorated further. Mundo Deportivo reports that the former Manchester City star completely "blew his top" and delivered one clear message to Atlético Madrid: "Don't count on me."
Alvarez is now ready to go "all in" to engineer a move to Barcelona, his frustration compounded by the absence of both Simeone and club CEO Miguel Ángel Gil Marín from the training facility. According to the report, Alvarez had hoped to address the transfer situation with both key figures, but neither was on hand when he arrived.
Why Alvarez Is Desperate for Transfer
It comes as little surprise that Alvarez is eager to leave the Spanish capital. The move was a puzzling one to begin with for the young forward, who had also attracted interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal following back-to-back impressive seasons at Manchester City.
Nevertheless, in the summer of 2024, he opted to commit the next six years of his career to Atlético Madrid — a club that has claimed La Liga just twice in the 21st century. Alvarez began his tenure promisingly, netting 29 goals across 54 outings in his debut season and helping Simeone's side remain in title contention for much of the campaign.
Reality appeared to catch up with him last term, however. When measured against the star-studded rosters at Barcelona and Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, as currently constituted, have little realistic prospect of genuinely challenging either of their fiercest rivals for the Spanish title.
Even when Los Rojiblancos had the Copa del Rey within their grasp — having knocked out the Catalans en route to the final — they were stunned by Real Sociedad. It marked the final opportunity for club legend Antoine Griezmann to claim a major trophy before his departure to MLS outfit Orlando City.
Perhaps Alvarez glimpsed a preview of his own future in that moment, should he stay at the Metropolitano, spurring the 26-year-old into action. Barcelona were more than willing to offer him a way out.
Barcelona Still Holding Out Hope
Alvarez has dominated the narrative surrounding Barcelona's summer business. The reigning Spanish champions made their ambitions abundantly clear in the transfer market: they want Alvarez to step in as the long-term successor to Robert Lewandowski at center forward.
Yet Barcelona have encountered nothing but obstacles and a string of viral fake transfer announcements flooding social media. Despite this, the Catalans continue to pursue Alvarez, who has long been their primary transfer target.
Hansi Flick has always coveted the Argentina international, but his need for the player has now become even more pressing. Ferran Torres has reportedly agreed terms with Paris Saint-Germain, potentially leaving the German manager without a natural first-choice center forward.
Barcelona can only wait on Alvarez for so long before they are forced to shift focus to alternative striking options. The Spanish giants cannot realistically mount a serious Champions League challenge with either Anthony Gordon or Karim Adeyemi spearheading the attack.