Atletico Madrid ‘to insist on’ €100m-plus for Julian Alvarez as Barcelona eye swap | OneFootball

Barcelona have made Julian Alvarez their top summer target, but prising him from Atletico Madrid looks complicated. Sport reports that Atleti will not accept a reduced-cost player-plus-cash proposal and would insist on a fee north of €100m.

Barcelona remain constrained by ongoing financial issues, and with several positions to address, they are reluctant to commit most of their budget to a single signing. A swap-led structure had been seen as a way to limit the immediate outlay.

Atleti are no longer weighed down by the financial problems of recent years. They do not intend to sell Alvarez, although if a departure clearly suited the club they could soften their stance.

That position leaves Barcelona facing a price that complicates any move. With a hard line expected from the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, alternatives are being considered.

Victor Osimhen is among the options alongside Alvarez, and is likely to be more achievable than the 2022 World Cup winner. How Barcelona approach their striker search remains unclear as the summer nears. For now, Alvarez playing a prominent part in that plan looks difficult.

Source: Football Espana