Deadline approaches for Barcelona’s offer for Julian Alvarez | OneFootball

FC Barcelona’s pursuit of Julian Alvarez has reached a crucial stage after club president Joan Laporta confirmed that the offer made for the Atletico Madrid striker would not remain valid indefinitely.

Shortly after beginning his latest presidential term, Laporta made Barcelona’s position clear.

“We have made an offer, but this offer is not unlimited in time.”

Later, while in New York supporting the Spanish national team during the final stages of the World Cup, he narrowed the timeframe even further.

“The deadline for the offer is between the last week of July and the first week of August,” he added.

Barcelona Reach the Deadline They Set

With today marking 28 July, the period outlined by Laporta has officially begun, confirms AS.

Deadline approaches. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

The deadline has been driven more by sporting considerations than by a negotiating strategy with Atletico Madrid, who have consistently insisted they have no intention of selling the Argentine forward.

The Rojiblancos made their stance unmistakably clear from the outset.

“I simply heard some statements from the president (Laporta), saying that his offer wasn’t open-ended. And our response is that our response is indeed open-ended; we don’t want to transfer him,” Atletico CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin said.

“We didn’t accept the €100 million offer, nor will we accept one of €150 million or €200 million,” he firmly stated.

Flick wants clarity soon

From a sporting perspective, Hansi Flick is eager to resolve the situation as soon as possible.

The Barcelona manager wants his new No. 9 available quickly or, at the very least, certainty over which players he will have at his disposal for the new season.

Flick wants clarity soon. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

Flick does not want to wait until the final day of the transfer window to discover whether the club has secured its primary attacking target.

For that reason, Barcelona maintain that they already have an alternative plan in place should the move for Alvarez ultimately fail.

Only one scenario could change the situation

According to those close to the negotiations, the only development capable of altering the current course of events would be another public statement from Alvarez reaffirming his desire to leave Atletico Madrid.

Until then, Barcelona’s deadline is approaching, while uncertainty continues to surround one of the club’s priority transfer targets.