Atletico Madrid consider Julian Alvarez case closed after rejecting Barcelona offer

Atletico Madrid consider Julian Alvarez case closed after rejecting Barcelona offer Barcelona’s pursuit of Julian Alvarez has become one of the defining stories of the closing stages of the transfer window. It was a transfer saga that started well before the 2026 World Cup and has continued long after the tournament came to an end. Barça have been at it, trying to sign the 26-year-old without giving up despite Atletico making it very clear that they will not sell to the Catalans. Now, according to Tala Radio (h/t FCB World ), the situation began when Alvarez requested an improvement to his salary. Atletico were willing to discuss those terms, but the conversation subsequently took a very different direction. Alvarez told Atletico he wanted to leave Alvarez will not be joining Barcelona this summer, as per Atleti. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) The Argentine reportedly informed Atletico that he wanted to leave the club for sporting reasons. Atletico rejected that request and told the striker that, should he remain in Madrid, he would continue to have a prominent role in their sporting project. However, the club did provide Alvarez with a potential route out. If he was determined to leave, Los Colchoneros told him to bring an offer worth €150 million before 20 June. That deadline and valuation are particularly important given the disagreement that has since developed around the player’s future. Barcelona proposal fell short The only proposal Atletico received before the deadline was from Barcelona, worth around €90 million with €10 million in add-ons. The proposed €100 million package was structured to be paid across six years and was passed through an intermediary to Atletico. That was nowhere near the conditions Atletico had established for sanctioning Alvarez’s departure. From that moment on, Atletico considered the Alvarez case closed this summer. A major obstacle for Barcelona The timeline helps explain why Atletico have maintained such a firm position despite Barcelona continuing to push for the World Cup winner. Have Barcelona failed in the Alvarez pursuit. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) From Barça ’s perspective, there is clearly a significant difference between having the financial means to make a substantial offer and meeting Atletico’s demand on their terms. Hansi Flick may admire Alvarez and see him as the ideal striker for his project, but Barça cannot afford to be irresponsible when it comes to finances. That said, this entire report coming from a source close to Atletico needs to be taken with a pinch of salt due to the obvious bias that it could encapsulate. Atletico want to come out of this transfer saga looking like winners, and an accessible way to do that would be to claim that Barça did not make an offer they deemed acceptable. Ultimately, no one except the two clubs and the player will know how these negotiations played out, and it remains to be seen whether Barça still try to sign the 26-year-old in these final days of the transfer window.