Atletico Madrid remain firm on Barcelona target’s future; uninterested in La Masia midfielder | OneFootball

The signing of Julian Alvarez by Barcelona, one of the forwards most appreciated by Deco’s sporting department, is becoming increasingly complicated.

The Atletico Madrid striker has emerged as the priority target for the Blaugrana, who are in the market for a top-quality No. 9, with Robert Lewandowski expected to depart.

Atletico Madrid unwavering from their stance

Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has said multiple times in the media already that Alvarez is not for sale this summer.

And, according to Mundo Deportivo, Atletico remain firm in their stance: they will not enter negotiations for the Argentine international.

The message is clear: “he’s not for sale”, and there is no room for doubt as far as their position is concerned.

Alvarez arrived at the Metropolitano in the summer of 2024 from Manchester City for €75 million plus €20 million in add-ons, and he is under contract until 2030, meaning he is fully protected.

Atletico don’t want to sell Alvarez, not keen on signing Casado. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

His release clause stands at €500 million, an amount out of reach for any club. As such, Atletico are not concerned by any comments suggesting openness to a move, convinced the player will not push for an exit.

No interest in Casado swap deal

Any move for Alvarez would easily cost no less than €100 million – a figure very much out of reach for Barcelona currently.

To reduce the cost of a deal, there had been talk of including Marc Casado in the operation. After all, the La Masia graduate had been on Atletico Madrid’s radar in January.

However, as per the report, the Barcelona academy midfielder is not part of Atletico’s plans, neither in the short nor medium term.

As such, the possibility of a player-plus-cash deal involving Casado is also shut down by the Rojiblancos.

Ferran Torres was another name mentioned as a possible bargaining chip, but neither Barça see it as viable, nor Atletico consider him a target for next season.