Barcelona are making one more run at Julian Alvarez, and the message from Madrid still looks pretty simple, pay huge money and probably still get told no. According to TeamTalk, the Catalan club are trying to force the issue before Joan Laporta’s August 10 deadline, while Arsenal are staying close enough to act if the door opens.
This is where the story gets interesting for Arsenal. Barcelona may be making the noise, but Arsenal appear to have the cleaner route if Alvarez genuinely wants out. TeamTalk reports that Arsenal are “ensuring they remain firmly in the picture” and have “continued to position themselves as the leading alternative should Barcelona’s pursuit ultimately collapse.” That matters, because transfer sagas are rarely won by the club making the most headlines. They are won by the club best placed when reality bites.
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Barcelona Bid Meets Atletico Madrid Resistance
Barcelona’s senior transfer staff have reportedly travelled to Madrid to try to break the stalemate. Deco and Joao Amaral are said to be meeting Alvarez’s agent, Fernando Hidalgo, and hoping for progress with Atletico Madrid CEO Miguel Angel Gil. The problem is obvious. Atletico have already shown their stance, and it has not shifted.
The opening Barcelona offer was “worth around €100million (£85.7m / $115.4m).” That was not enough. A fresh bid is now expected at “around €115million (£98.6m / $132.7m).” Even that may change very little. Atletico have “no intention of selling Alvarez” and, crucially, “have no desire to strengthen either Barcelona or Real.”
That line cuts to the core of this story. Money is one part of the discussion. Club politics is the other. TeamTalk adds that “relations between the clubs have become increasingly strained” and that Miguel Angel Gil has been left frustrated by Barcelona’s repeated efforts to test Atletico’s resolve. If that picture is accurate, Barcelona are trying to land a striker from a club…
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