Julián Álvarez says a transfer is best and asks to leave Atlético de Madrid | OneFootball

Julián Álvarez said a transfer would be best for all parties and wants to leave Atlético de Madrid after Argentina’s win over Austria. He played around half an hour and had a clear chance, a public stance Barcelona had been waiting for to push talks.

"I do not know. I do not think it is the time to talk, but I cannot hide. I try to be an honest person. I spoke with the people at the club, the ones I had to speak to. I think the best for everyone is a transfer and I want to fulfil my dream," he told ESPN.

After a relatively quiet few weeks, his statement was the move Barcelona needed to unlock negotiations with Atlético. The club had refused to discuss a sale, and it now seems absolutely impossible the former Manchester City forward will pull on the rojiblanca again.

Sport reports that Barcelona’s sporting leadership, with Joan Laporta heavily involved, are in near-daily contact with the player’s camp led by Fernando Hidalgo and in constant communication even while in the United States, and that Gil Marín was in Barcelona on Monday with several executives for financial and corporate meetings, some linked to CaixaBank, a visit said to be unrelated to Álvarez or the market.

Barcelona intend to step up talks once the World Cup ends. A second bid is not planned immediately, though it cannot be ruled out after Álvarez’s step, and the club do not want to rush while he focuses on the competition.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo