Atletico Madrid working on renewing Barcelona president’s dream striker target | OneFootball

Barcelona host Atletico Madrid in La Liga tonight at the Spotify Camp Nou, and all eyes will be on a certain Julian Alvarez.

The 25-year-old Argentine striker is one of the names that the Catalans are looking at as a replacement for Robert Lewandowski in the summer of 2026.

Atletico Madrid trying to renew Alvarez’s contract

However, according to MARCA, the top priority for Atletico Madrid director Mateu Alemany is to keep Alvarez at the club and, as such, he is already planning a renewal for the Argentine, who Laporta sees as the dream signing.

With a €500 million release clause, a contract until 2030, and the club fully convinced that no player fits the post-Griezmann era better, no one at Atletico imagines a future without Alvarez.

In fact, the club president, Enrique Cerezo, made it clear in a recent interview, stating that the striker was an undisputed part of their project and would not be sold.

Laporta’s dream target. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Alvarez, for his part, is also happy at Atletico Madrid and even turned down a lucrative proposal from PSG last summer to remain at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.

Meanwhile, at Barcelona, both Joan Laporta and Hansi Flick agree: at age 25, already a World Cup champion with Argentina and with his prime ahead of him, only Erling Haaland would represent a bigger marquee addition for them than Alvarez at this point.

Laporta is determined to explore every possible formula to overcome Barça’s financial limitations. Whether through economic levers or a major sale, he is convinced the club must attempt everything to bring Alvarez to the Camp Nou.

However, for Alemany, Alvarez’s continuity at Atletico is not only non-negotiable but a top priority. The plan is to offer a renewed and improved contract to reinforce his status as the franchise player for at least the next five years.

While formal renewal talks have not yet begun, initial contact has taken place as a show of intent. Alemany also has the full support of new investors, Apollo, both to secure the Argentine’s future and to build a squad worthy of him.