Barcelona ready to play the tactical game in the pursuit of top attacking target this summer  | OneFootball

Following the defeat to Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League semifinal, Atletico Madrid are set to end their campaign without any major trophy.

This could be a significant development in the context of Julian Alvarez’s future as the Argentine was hoping to reach the UCL final this season, having earlier lost out on the Copa Del Rey title.

This is where Barcelona come into the fray. The Catalans had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to sign Alvarez, but with money seemingly becoming an issue, they are now ready to play the tactical game.

Barcelona’s tactical approach

According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are fully aware that Atletico Madrid will not budge on their stance unless Alvarez himself pushes for the exit. That is precisely the scenario the Catalans are hoping to engineer.

Alvarez has a contract until 2030, but has never unequivocally confirmed he will stay at Atletico beyond this season.

What’s in store for Alvarez’s future? (Photo by Harry Murphy/Getty Images)

As far back as November, he hinted at uncertainty. “We’ll take stock at the end of the season,” he said, while also acknowledging Barcelona’s interest and revealing that PSG had made a concrete approach when he signed for Atletico.

Since then, he has had numerous opportunities to commit to Atletico publicly and has chosen not to. The ambiguity is telling.

Barcelona’s hope is that Alvarez uses the two weeks before joining up with Argentina for the World Cup to make his desire to leave clear to the club.

The Argentine prioritises a move to Barcelona over interest from PSG and Arsenal, and the Catalans know it.

Their limit is around €100 million. Atletico’s inflexibility will only soften if their star player forces the issue. Barcelona are waiting, watching, and hoping that this is the moment Alvarez finally takes a stand.