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Argentina forward Julian Alvarez has expressed a desire to leave Atletico Madrid in order to “fulfil his dream”, with a move toBarcelona understood to be his preferred destination.
Arsenal are among the clubs monitoring the situation, but Barcelona are said to have been leading the chase throughout the summer.
Atletico, however, remain reluctant to sell their star forward and have maintained a firm stance over his future, despite growing speculation. Relations between the clubs are also believed to be strained following recent tensions in the transfer market.
Alvarez is said to have made his intentions clearer after Argentina’s 2-0 World Cup win over Austria on Monday, further fuelling uncertainty over his long-term future in Madrid.
“I spoke with people at the club, with those I had to speak with and the best thing for everyone is a transfer and I want to fulfil my dream,” Alvarez said.
“It’s not the time to talk about this, but I also can’t hide it. I try to be an honest person. “It’s not known when it will be resolved,” he added.
Alvarez continues to dominate transfer speculation, with Atletico Madrid rejecting a €150m offer from Real Madrid earlier this month, although the Spanish giants have since not followed up on their interest.
Atletico are said to have responded by pointing to Alvarez’s £431m (€500m) release clause, underlining their determination to keep him. The striker is under contract until 2030 following his £81m move from Manchester City in 2024.
Interest from Liverpool has also been reported, with claims they previously explored a potential swap deal involving Luis Diaz during the summer of 2024 before Alvarez’s move to Madrid.
Barcelona are reported to have already submitted an offer worth close to €100million forAlvarez, although the proposal did not receive a formal response from Atletico Madrid.
According to Spanish outlet La Vanguardia, Julian Alvarez is said to favour a move toBarcelona, with Barcelona also understood to be keen on the striker.
In May, Barcelona president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco met with Alvarez’s agent, Fernando Hidalgo, where they agreed on a five-year contract.
Also present at the meeting were Juanma Lopez, agent of Dani Olmo, and Joan Garcia, who is acting as an intermediary due to his relationship with Atletico Madrid.