Barcelona confident in Julian Alvarez pursuit amid rival interest
Barcelona believe the race for Julian Alvarez is theirs to lose. Arsenal are lurking, Paris Saint-Germain are probing, Atletico Madrid are stalling – but inside the Camp Nou offices, the conviction is clear: the Argentine should end up in blaugrana.
The timing only adds to the theatre. Alvarez is preparing for a World Cup semi-final, expected to spearhead Argentina against Thomas Tuchel’s England, while his club future hangs in the balance. On the same stage where he can tilt a nation’s hopes, he is also auditioning for the role of Barcelona’s new No 9.
Life after Lewandowski
Robert Lewandowski’s departure to Chicago Fire in MLS has left a gaping hole at the heart of Barcelona’s attack. The board’s response has been blunt: Alvarez is the first choice, the plan A, the forward earmarked to lead Hansi Flick’s new era.
Barcelona have already shown how serious they are. An offer of around £85m went in to Atletico Madrid earlier in the summer. It drew no formal response. No acceptance, no rejection – just silence from the Spanish capital.
That silence has not shaken Barcelona’s belief. Quite the opposite.
A few weeks ago, while on duty in the United States, Alvarez made it clear he wanted out of Madrid and urged Atletico to sit down and negotiate. In Catalonia, that message landed like a green light. Club figures interpreted his stance as a push specifically towards Barcelona, not just away from Atletico.
Arsenal and PSG wait for their chance
Of course, when a 26-year-old World Cup forward becomes available, Barcelona do not get a free run.
Arsenal, fresh from a Premier League title, are tracking the situation closely. In Argentina, Clarin report that Mikel Arteta’s staff are “following every movement” and stand ready to move if Barcelona stumble. PSG, Champions League holders, are doing their own homework and have made their interest known.
Yet the numbers tell a story. Neither Arsenal nor PSG have gone beyond Barcelona’s £85m proposal. Arsenal’s approach, understood to be below that figure, has not shifted the landscape. PSG, for their part, would only reach that valuation if they could fold other players into the deal.
And then there is the player’s own stance. Alvarez has made it clear he wants to wear Barcelona colours next season. That preference matters. He has so far refused to enter talks with any other club, a quiet but powerful form of leverage in a market obsessed with bidding wars.
Barca prepare their next move
Inside Barcelona, the response is to push again. Reports in Spain indicate the club are putting together a new, improved offer to present to Atletico at the end of July. The fixed fee is expected to stay close to the original £85m, but the Catalans intend to load the package with performance-related variables to sweeten the deal.
The message from the sporting department is simple: they know Arsenal and PSG have not yet outbid them. That knowledge gives them room to be patient – but only up to a point.
There is also the option of including a player heading the other way. With Atletico reluctant to sell to a direct domestic rival, Barcelona may have to sacrifice a squad member to unlock the negotiations. President Joan Laporta is set to front those talks, aware that any outgoing player will have to fit Diego Simeone’s demands as well as Barcelona’s financial reality.
A ticking clock
For now, Alvarez has parked the noise. Those close to him insist he is fully focused on the World Cup and will not make any decision on his club future until the tournament is over. That stance pushes the saga deeper into the summer and potentially into August.
Barcelona can wait – but not indefinitely.
Flick’s team open their La Liga campaign on 23 August. The German coach has been clear: any major signing must be integrated before the season starts. He wants his new centre forward on the training pitch early, not arriving on deadline day with a suitcase and a language app.
That internal deadline gives the Alvarez chase a hard edge. The revised offer will not sit on Atletico’s table forever. If there is no movement by early August, Barcelona know they have to pivot.
Plan B in the shadows
Behind the scenes, that pivot is already being prepared. Sources close to the Barcelona hierarchy have admitted to Spanish outlet AS that work is underway on an alternative forward. The identity remains under wraps, but the profile does not: another elite-level attacker, someone considered among the top strikers on the international scene.
It is a necessary insurance policy, not a change of heart. Inside the club, confidence still runs high that Alvarez will end up calling Camp Nou home next season.
The question now is whether Atletico blink, Arsenal pounce, or PSG complicate everything – or whether Barcelona’s belief, the player’s preference and the ticking clock all push this long pursuit over the line.
