La Liga club reject Barcelona’s latest attempt to discuss priority target – report | OneFootball

Barcelona’s pursuit of Julian Alvarez has encountered another obstacle after Atletico Madrid refused a proposed meeting involving the Catalan club and the player’s representatives.

The Argentine forward remains one of Barcelona’s priority targets, but Atletico continue to show no willingness to discuss a transfer. 

The latest development comes shortly after reports emerged claiming Barcelona had already submitted a €100 million proposal for the striker.

Despite the growing speculation surrounding Alvarez’s future, Atletico’s position appears unchanged.

Atletico Madrid reject Barcelona meeting

According to the latest reports from Veronica Brunati, Barcelona and Alvarez’s agent attempted to arrange a meeting with Atletico Madrid to discuss the player’s situation.

Barcelona were supposed to meet over Alvarez’s transfer. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

However, the Madrid club reportedly declined the request and reiterated their stance on the Argentine international.

Making their position clear, Atletico responded: “The player is not for sale. He has a valid contract and we are very happy with him.”

Atletico Madrid are understood to view Alvarez as a central part of their plans for the 2026-27 season and have no intention of opening negotiations under the conditions proposed by Barcelona.

This latest setback follows previous reports that Barcelona submitted an offer worth €100 million directly to Atletico sporting director Mateu Alemany. 

Although Atletico publicly denied receiving a bid at the time, subsequent reports suggested that a proposal had indeed been sent.

So now what?

Atletico Madrid do not want to sell Alvarez. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Now, with a potential meeting also rejected, Barcelona face an even more difficult task if they hope to convince Atletico to change their position.

Simply put, Atletico’s refusal to engage shows the biggest problem Barcelona are facing in this operation.

Unlike many transfer stories where discussions revolve around price, Atletico’s message has consistently been that Alvarez is not available.

That makes the situation significantly more complicated, regardless of Barcelona’s interest or the player’s reported desire to explore a move.

For now, Atletico remain firm, while Barcelona continue searching for ways to advance the operation.