Julian Alvarez to Barcelona not dead as club plans fresh move in January or June 2027 | OneFootball

Barcelona may have failed to sign Julian Alvarez this summer, but their pursuit of the Atletico Madrid striker is far from over.

According to a fresh update from El Larguero, Barça are already considering another attempt to bring the Argentina international to Camp Nou, with January or, more likely, June 2027 being considered as possible opportunities.

Reporter Santi Ovalle claims Barcelona deliberately held back funds they had been prepared to spend on another elite No. 9, with the club still convinced Alvarez is the best option for their longer-term plans.

“They’ve saved the money they were going to spend on a top ‘9’ to go after him again,” Ovalle said.

Notably, Barcelona eventually turned to Gabriel Jesus, signing the Arsenal forward to address their immediate need for a central striker. 

Despite these developments, the move should not be interpreted as the end of their interest in Alvarez.

Barcelona refused to abandon Alvarez plan

Barça spent much of the summer trying to find a way to prise Alvarez away from Atletico, but the Madrid club never showed an appetite for negotiations.

Alvarez will stay at Atletico Madrid, but just for now. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Atletico’s position was particularly clear: they did not intend to negotiate with Barcelona over the Argentine forward.

Faced with that resistance, Barcelona eventually accepted that a summer deal was not realistic. 

Rather than continue pursuing a transfer that was unlikely to materialise, the Catalan club addressed their immediate attacking requirement with Gabriel Jesus.

Interestingly, though, their preference remains unchanged.

Ovalle explained that Barcelona’s interest is based on a much bigger plan than simply filling a position this season.

“The truth is that Barça doesn’t want Julian for this transfer window; they want him for a five-year project. 

“Therefore, they are going to come back for him, if not in January, then probably in June.”

Why Barcelona are still saving for Alvarez

Barcelona will return for Julian Alvarez next year. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

The decision not to spend heavily on another striker is revealing. 

Barcelona apparently did not consider other options convincing enough to justify using the funds that had been earmarked for a marquee No. 9.

Instead, the club appears willing to wait for an opportunity to revisit the Alvarez situation.

“Barça is still interested in Alvarez. In fact, they have saved the money they were going to spend on a top striker because none of the options convinced them.

“They are convinced, as we’ve been saying in recent days, that Julian is better than any other striker.

“So they’re saving the money they were going to spend on a new one to come back and explore the transfer market,” concluded the journalist.