Barcelona having serious doubts about move for €100m-rated target as Atletico Madrid take firm stance | OneFootball

It is no secret that FC Barcelona have their sights set on Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez heading into the summer transfer window.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner has emerged as the top target for Joan Laporta & co., as they look to add a new centre-forward before the start of the next season.

However, finances could be an issue, with recent reports suggesting that Barça can offer a maximum of only €50 million in transfer fees for the Argentine and could potentially include a player as part of the deal.

Atletico Madrid rule out player-plus-cash operations

But, in a fresh development, SPORT reports that Atletico Madrid have made their position clear regarding Alvarez, insisting that they will not accept player exchanges in any potential deal with Barcelona.

Los Rojiblancos, who lock horns with the Catalans later tonight in La Liga, are unhappy with the latter’s approach regarding the Alvarez situation during the season and the role played by the forward himself in the matter.

Barcelona have not yet opened formal negotiations with Atletico, but they have held discussions with the player’s representatives to assess his willingness to join and to explore potential financial terms.

Barcelona’s priority target. (Photo by Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images)

While personal terms are not expected to be an issue, messages from Atletico suggest that any departure will occur strictly under their conditions and at a high price.

No discounts, no exchanges

Barcelona had considered proposing a deal involving cash plus a player, with options such as Marc Casado or Ferran Torres, provided the players agreed to be included.

However, this approach will not work. Atletico have informed Alvarez’s camp that they will not accept any reduction in the transfer fee through player exchanges.

The deal would need to be a straightforward transfer, with a valuation set at €100 million or close to that figure, including fixed and variable components.

Under these conditions, Barcelona have serious doubts about the viability of the operation and whether such a high investment would be justified. After all, they remain constrained by financial limitations related to their salary cap.

For now, the Blaugrana intend to wait until after their upcoming matches against Atletico before reassessing the situation in May.

Much will depend on the stance taken by Alvarez himself and whether he applies pressure for a move, although even then, Barça consider the deal unlikely without including players in the negotiation.