The Atletico Madrid president shares his thoughts on Julian Alvarez and the Barcelona ‘dream’ situation.
Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has shared his thoughts on the future of forward Julian Alvarez.
This summer, Alvarez has shown interest in leaving Los Rojiblancos, and several big clubs like Arsenal, Barcelona, and Real Madrid have been keen on signing him. The 26-year-old has a contract with Atletico until June 2030, and with a huge asking price of £150 million, any move would be tough to make happen.
Right now, Alvarez is focused on helping Argentina win more World Cup success and is expected to start in Friday’s round of 32 match against Cape Verde. So, his future isn’t the main topic at the moment.
Still, Barcelona star Lamine Yamal has encouraged Alvarez to join him at Camp Nou, which could open the door for a big transfer after Real Madrid had a massive £129 million offer turned down in June.
Even though Alvarez wants to leave this summer, Atletico president Cerezo is clear that the talented Argentine will stay in Madrid after the transfer window closes in September. “Julian Alvarez? Nothing has changed, he will stay at Atleti,” Cerezo said. “There are no offers now. Even if there are, Alvarez will stay because we don’t want to sell.”
Maxi Rodriguez also told Alvarez to join Barcelona, suggesting both clubs should avoid a long transfer saga. “I don’t know the full story; everyone looks out for themselves. The best thing is to find a solution,” Rodriguez said. “Fans want the best for their team, and Julian wants what’s best for him too. We all need to be responsible. But I can’t really talk since I don’t know all the details.”
Alvarez has scored 49 goals and made 17 assists in 106 games for Atletico, so it’s no surprise that Cerezo wants to keep hold of him. While Atletico is happy to reject offers for their No.19, they risk upsetting team harmony if Alvarez is unhappy.
Ultimately, Alvarez wants to fulfill his dream of playing for Barcelona, and it seems like he will move there eventually, even if it doesn’t happen this transfer window. “I spoke with people at the club, and the best thing for everyone is a transfer because I want to fulfill my dream,” Alvarez said after Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria last week. “It’s not the right time to talk about this, but I can’t hide it either. I try to be honest.”
The speculation about the World Cup winner’s future might keep going until the end of the transfer window. It will be interesting to see if he gets the chance to join Barca.