Atletico Madrid's Stance on Julian Alvarez: No Sale to Barcelona

Atletico Madrid have drawn a hard line in the sand over Julian Alvarez – and they are not budging.

The club insist there is a "0% chance" the Argentine will be sold to Barcelona, firing back after Barca president Joan Laporta publicly reiterated his desire to sign the forward and claimed a €100m (£85.7m) offer remains on the table.

Atletico rage at Barca pursuit

Alvarez has been at the centre of a storm all summer. Booed by sections of his own support during Sunday’s draw with Villarreal, the 26-year-old then missed training on Wednesday, with reports suggesting he was unwell.

By the afternoon, Atletico had turned their anger squarely on Laporta and Barcelona.

"This is not about money, it's about dignity. The player is being victimised, but the only victim in the Julian case is us," the club said in a strongly worded statement.

"They have harmed us economically and socially. There is 0% chance of selling him to Barca.

"There is a campaign of many lies and half-truths. The only one paying for this is Atletico."

Laporta, in a video published on Wednesday, insisted Barcelona still respect Atletico but stressed that the €100m bid lodged earlier in the summer has not been withdrawn. Inside the Camp Nou, the message is the same: they will keep pushing for Alvarez until the window closes.

Atletico’s response could hardly be clearer. They are furious, they feel undermined, and they are going public with it.

A saga that will not die

This is not a new feud. The relationship between the clubs over Alvarez has been fraying for months.

Barcelona first came in back in May, opening talks over a move for the striker who only joined Atletico from Manchester City in 2024. Atleti’s answer then was identical to the one now: absolutely not.

They even mocked Barca’s pursuit on social media, telling millions of followers they were victims of a "smear campaign" and ridiculing the Catalans’ attempts to unsettle their player.

The noise only grew. Alvarez headed to the World Cup with Argentina with his club future already a major storyline, his name constantly linked with some of Europe’s biggest sides.

Then came a dramatic twist in June. Real Madrid entered the race.

Real Madrid’s €150m shot – and another rejection

True to president Florentino Perez’s promise to fans that he would make a €150m bid for an unnamed "Galactico" if re-elected, Real Madrid submitted a €150m (£130m) offer for Alvarez.

Again, Atletico said no.

Madrid pointed to the player’s €500m (£430m) release clause and claimed Atletico had "expressed its gratitude for the proposal". Atleti quickly hit back online, denying any gratitude and repeating their stance: Alvarez would not be sold to Barcelona.

The refusal of Real’s money only hardened the impression that this is about rivalry as much as finance. Atletico chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin had already set the tone, saying the club would not sell Alvarez "even for 200m euros (£170.8m)".

Player caught in the crossfire

Amid the posturing, Alvarez himself has added fuel to the fire.

After Argentina’s win over Austria in June, he admitted he had spoken to Atletico and said "the best thing for everyone is a transfer", adding: "I want to fulfil my dream."

Those words underlined what many suspected: however loudly Atletico shout that he is not for sale, the player is open to leaving. Barcelona and Paris St-Germain are among the clubs reported to be circling.

Yet the situation has turned toxic at home. On Sunday, Alvarez started on the bench against Villarreal and was jeered while warming up. The boos grew louder when he came on in the 66th minute.

At full-time, he went straight down the tunnel instead of joining his teammates to applaud the fans. The reaction from the stands was immediate and hostile.

Diego Simeone later suggested it was a pre-agreed club decision for Alvarez to head straight to the dressing room, but the optics were grim: a star forward, under fire from his own supporters, walking away from them as the saga rumbles on.

Barca push, Arsenal wait, Flick stays quiet

Barcelona’s interest has a clear logic. With Robert Lewandowski leaving this summer, they see Alvarez as the long-term No 9 to lead their attack. Laporta’s latest video only underlines how determined they are to land him.

Head coach Hansi Flick, speaking before Barca’s match against Athletic Club on Thursday, refused to be drawn on Alvarez specifically, saying only: "I only want to speak about the situation of the club."

Behind the scenes, though, Barca sources insist they will keep trying until the final hours of the window.

Arsenal, meanwhile, hover in the background. The Gunners regard Alvarez as a dream signing and have maintained an interest throughout the summer, but for now they are watching the stand-off from a distance.

With the transfer deadline a week away, Arsenal are said to be more realistic about their chances. Alvarez, according to sources close to the situation, still wants to stay in Spain.

War of words with the clock ticking

The timeline of this saga tells its own story. Barcelona’s first offer in May. Real Madrid’s €150m bid in June. Atletico’s repeated public refusals. Social media jabs, accusations of "lies and half-truths", and now claims of economic and social damage.

All of it with a World Cup-winning striker at the centre, jeered by his own fans and pulled between the biggest clubs in Europe.

Deadline day lands on 1 September. Atletico say there is "0% chance" of selling him to Barcelona. Barca insist the €100m offer stands. Real Madrid have already tested Atletico’s resolve. Arsenal wait for the chaos to create an opening.

Something has to give. But will it be the player, the club, or the price?