Barcelona director holds direct meeting with agents of €90m-rated priority target | OneFootball

Even before the excitement surrounding Anthony Gordon’s arrival has fully settled, attention has already shifted towards what could become one of the biggest transfer operations at Barcelona, with focus on Julián Alvarez.

According to a report from Mundo Deportivo, the last 24 hours have been particularly active for sporting director Deco, who held an important meeting with Fernando Hidalgo, the striker’s representative. 

During the meeting, it was established that the intention is that if a deal is possible, they want movement before the World Cup creates even more noise around the player.

As per the outlet, what made the meeting more eye-catching was the presence of Juanma Lopez, whose involvement is not accidental. 

What’s the story?

Deco held a meeting with Alvarez’s agent. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

Lopez, a former Atletico Madrid player, still maintains strong connections with the club and is considered someone capable of helping calm what could otherwise become a difficult negotiation between the two sides. 

Those close to the situation believe his role could become extremely important if talks begin accelerating over the coming days.

At the same time, Barça have already received a major encouragement from the player’s camp.

Although Alvarez has communicated that he feels comfortable in Madrid, he has also made it known that a move to Camp Nou would strongly appeal to him should the opportunity genuinely develop.

A difficult operation to execute

Alvarez wants to join Barcelona. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Despite the obvious appreciation from Barcelona, the expected cost of signing Alvarez is enormous. 

Early estimates suggest any agreement could approach more than €100 million once bonuses and variables are included, which is why Barça appear willing to explore formulas to make the numbers work.

For what it is worth, neither Atletico Madrid nor the Catalan side are interested in months of public tension, endless leaks or drawn-out negotiations dominating headlines every week. 

This is why we can expect that once the official negotiations begin, it would not take long to conclude talks.

Note: Player valuation in the title obtained from transfermarkt.com on the date of publication