Barcelona are no strangers to the headlines in the transfer window.
The La Liga champions already commanded the spotlight with their lightning fast move for Anthony Gordon, with negotiations with Newcastle United seemingly easier than their own attempts to present the England international on Friday.
Attention soon turned to Atlético Madrid striker Julián Alvarez, a regular feature in the gossip columns over the past year. Reports of a bid worth $116 million (€100 million) quickly surfaced and kick-started one of the most stunning social media exchanges in recent memory as Atléti viciously bit back.
By poking fun at the entire story and the many journalists responsible for exclusive reports on Alvarez, Atlético issued a brutal response to the entire saga, making their feelings towards Barcelona’s pursuit abundantly clear.
So, where do we go from here?
What Atletico’s Response Actually Means
At the heart of Atlético’s response is a complex concern: how much of the original story is actually true?
In the immediate aftermath of the reports of Barcelona’s bid, it was claimed in Spain that Atlético had been denying ever receiving an offer. Is that the subject with which Atléti took issue? Or was it suggestions that Alvarez had asked to leave the club this summer?
We may not know where the transfer saga actually stands right now, but what is crystal clear is that Atléti are not going to roll over and hand Barcelona their superstar striker on a plate. This issue has become personal between the two clubs.
The official line from Atléti is that Alvarez is simply not for sale. Case closed ... or is it?
Can Barcelona Still Get a Deal Done?
Soccer is a funny game sometimes. Atlético have served up one of the most stunning dismissals of transfer interest we have ever seen, and yet you cannot rule out a deal getting struck later this summer.
This is a business, after all, and while clubs may claim to see players as untouchable, everybody has a number. If Barcelona hit that figure, Atlético will sell. Sounds easy, right? Not exactly.
Atlético are under no obligation to make life easy for Barcelona, clearly suggesting that the Camp Nou outfit have not afforded them the same courtesy over the years. The amount of money they could demand for Alvarez does not need to represent fair market value, but rather just how valuable the player is to them.
Fans may see Barcelona’s $116 million bid as fairly reasonable, particularly for a player who just finished the La Liga season with eight goals to his name, but the strength of Atlético’s determination not to hand him to their rivals will see that price tag rise more and more, perhaps to an unsustainable level. Should that happen, it would be Barcelona’s problem, not Atlético’s.
In a statement to Mundo Deportivo, Atlético pointed to the $583 million (€500 million) release clause in Alvarez’s contract as their final demand. In reality, the sweet spot is likely to lie somewhere between the two figures, although Barcelona may need some help from Alvarez to get it down as low as possible.
If Alvarez threatens to cause problems for Atlético if he is not permitted to join Barcelona, he becomes less valuable to his current club and the price tag could drop. It seems that, as it stands, that is the only way forwards for Barcelona, who may still find themselves priced out of a deal.
Alternative Targets for Barcelona
If Atlético do go too high for Barcelona, the Blaugrana will have to look elsewhere. That’s clearly something Barça have prepared for, with a shortlist of alternative targets already known.
Bayern Munich superstar Harry Kane may be a dream too far, while Chelsea are also threatening to stand firm over João Pedro after his impressive debut season at Stamford Bridge. Neither club will be interested in cut-price negotiations.
The belief is Alvarez, Kane and Pedro sit in their own section at the top of Barcelona’s wish list, with the Blaugrana only deviating away from that trio once they are convinced deals for any of them are impossible.
Cheaper alternatives could include Alvarez’s Atlético teammate, Alexander Sørloth, although those negotiations could now prove to be awkward. Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen would be another blockbuster target.
