Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez has been linked with a move to Barcelona, with reports claiming the Catalans have made signing the Argentine ace a priority this summer.
Barcelona are preparing for life without Robert Lewandowski. The 37-year-old is in the final year of his contract.
There are no talks of a renewal or exercising the clause in his deal to extend it by a year.
Consequently, adding a striker to the ranks is top priority for Barcelona, and they are sounding out interest in Alvarez, who is enjoying a stellar campaign with Los Colchoneros.
Alvarez has scored seven goals and provided three assists in eight appearances for Atletico.
He has continued his brilliant form from last term, during which he scored 29 goals and provided eight assists in 57 outings.
His form has attracted interest from Barcelona, but the Atletico Madrid man shut down those rumours after the Spanish side’s win over Eintracht Frankfurt.
Alvarez said (via ESPN), “I’m very calm. There’s always talk, but the truth is that the season is just starting now.
“My focus is on improving every day, win for Atletico. That’s the only thing on my mind… social media stories are beyond me.”
The reality is that any pursuit of Alvarez would quickly run into a financial wall.
Atletico tied him down until 2030, and club sources suggest they would only entertain offers well north of €200 million.
For Barcelona, who are still juggling debt restructuring and strict La Liga financial controls, such a deal is impossible without drastic sacrifices, either selling off core assets or gutting their wage bill.
Beyond the transfer fee, matching Alvarez’s salary expectations would further stretch the Blaugrana’s budget.
Unless Barcelona suddenly unearth extraordinary resources, chasing Alvarez is little more than a fantasy.
In truth, any attempt to prise him away now would be wasting everyone’s time, as Atletico hold all the cards and intend to keep their star forward.
