Atletico Madrid Closes Door on Alvarez Transfer to Barcelona

Atletico Madrid has hardened its stance on the possibility of selling its Argentine striker Julian Alvarez to Barcelona, ruling out any negotiations with the Spanish league champions. The club’s board expressed “unanimous full support” for the decision not to negotiate Alvarez’s transfer to Barcelona, while noting that the door remains open to other offers, given that the Argentine international’s name has recently been linked with English club Arsenal. In a statement, Atletico said, “There have been, and there will be, no negotiations with them (Barcelona) regarding Alvarez’s transfer.” The club added that it is “open to negotiations related to the transfer market,” but only “in an ethical and professional manner, and within a framework of mutual respect between clubs.” Atletico clarified that Barcelona had not met these conditions, without providing further details. The “Roji-blancos” had previously filed a complaint against Barcelona with FIFA and the Spanish Football Federation over its efforts to sign Alvarez. Atletico stated that it is “confident” that Alvarez “will understand the decision, focusing on working in the best possible way to help the club achieve its objectives.” The striker missed training for a second consecutive day on Tuesday due to an illness, according to reports, following his reception of boos from Atletico fans during the 2-2 La Liga draw with Villarreal on Sunday.