Madrid, Spain – Barcelona president Joan Laporta has sent a clear message to Atlético Madrid regarding the future of Argentine striker Julián Álvarez. He confirmed that the Catalan club’s offer will not remain open indefinitely.
The Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo reported that Laporta, while in the United States to attend the Spain-France World Cup 2026 semi-final, emphasized that Barcelona would not wait long to finalize the deal. He also indicated that the club’s management would set the pace of the negotiations.
Laporta said: “We made an offer to sign Julian Alvarez, but it won’t remain on the table forever. We determine the pace of negotiations, and we’ll see how long this offer remains open. We moved to sign the player requested by the coach and his staff, because we see him as a very special player”.
The Barcelona president denied that the club had exerted any pressure on Atlético Madrid to complete the deal. Furthermore, he affirmed that the relationship between the two parties was excellent.
He added: “There was a misunderstanding about what I said about the offer, and I have clarified the matter. We did not put pressure on Atletico, and all I meant was that our offer would remain on the table until they found a suitable alternative, and since then there has been no development”.
The newspaper indicated that Barcelona intends to reassess its position after the 2026 World Cup, with the possibility of submitting a new offer. It is also simultaneously considering other transfer options in case negotiations with Atlético Madrid falter.
