Despite the club’s firm stance, the race for Alvarez remains competitive with Barcelona, Arsenal and Chelsea all previously credited with interest. These clubs were reportedly alerted when the forward admitted "you never know" what might happen regarding his future. Alemany, however, suggested these words were taken out of context. He also chose to ignore distractions from other camps, specifically comments from Barcelona president Joan Laporta, who told SER Catalunya that Alvarez is a "great player" who would fit Barça’s system, provided he shows willingness to join at a "renewable price" without breaking the bank. "I don’t talk about other clubs, only about Atlético, and everyone is responsible for what they say," the director remarked, reflecting a club focused on internal stability.