Barcelona given fresh warning by Atletico president over Julian Alvarez pursuit: ‘Look at the contract’

Barcelona given fresh warning by Atletico president over Julian Alvarez pursuit: ‘Look at the contract’ Barcelona’s dream of signing Julian Alvarez continues to dominate headlines across Spain, but Atletico Madrid have once again made their position crystal clear. The Argentine striker remains the Catalan club’s top target as they plan for the future beyond Robert Lewandowski.  Barcelona’s sporting department views Alvarez as the ideal long-term leader of Hansi Flick’s attack and is preparing a huge financial package in an attempt to convince Atlético to negotiate. However, Atletico president Enrique Cerezo has delivered another strong response to the growing speculation, insisting that the club has no intention of parting ways with one of their most valuable players. Barcelona preparing record offer Barcelona’s interest in Alvarez is no secret and recent reports have suggested that the Blaugrana are willing to launch a massive proposal worth €135 million guaranteed plus a further €15 million in bonuses once the World Cup concludes. Barcelona continue to admire Julian Alvarez. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images) Within Camp Nou, there is hope that such a package, combined with the player’s desire to explore a new challenge, could eventually encourage Atlético Madrid to enter negotiations. The belief within Barcelona is that a deal of that magnitude would be difficult to ignore, particularly if Alvarez actively pushes for a move. Yet convincing Atlético remains the biggest challenge. The Argentine remains one of the cornerstones of Diego Simeone’s project and is tied to the club with a long-term contract running until 2030 and a release clause worth €500 million.  More importantly, Atlético have repeatedly insisted that they are under no pressure to sell. Enrique Cerezo issues another public warning Enrique Cerezo has delivered yet another verdict on Alvarez’s future. (Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images) Speaking about the situation, Atletico president Enrique Cerezo once again moved to dismiss speculation surrounding the striker’s future. Addressing the constant links with Barcelona, he said, “Julian is an Atletico Madrid player. Whoever wants him can come and look at the contract (the buyout clause), and if they’re interested, they’ll sign him; if not, they won’t. “It seems like this is the story of the summer; you all know exactly how things stand. “Julian is an Atlético Madrid player, and I believe he will remain an Atletico Madrid player,” he said, as reported by El Desmarque . The comments have once again reinforced Atletico’s public position and serve as another reminder of the financial challenge facing any club interested in the Argentine international.