In Lisbon, Barcelona have drawn a line under their pursuit of Julián Álvarez. After more than three months of talks and a proposal reported at €120 million, the Catalan club have accepted that Atlético de Madrid will not release the Argentine forward.
Sporting president Deco addressed the matter at the Portugal Football Summit, describing the proposed move as finished and insisting Barcelona must focus on the players already available to them.
Quick facts
- Barcelona pursued Julián Álvarez for more than three months.
- The club were prepared to offer up to €120 million for the Atlético de Madrid striker.
- Real Madrid were also among the clubs linked with Álvarez after he indicated he wanted a change.
- Barcelona instead brought in Gabriel Jesus after concluding an agreement for Álvarez could not be reached.
- The team have scored 37 goals across eight matches, despite the exits of Robert Lewandowski and Ferrán Torres.
Álvarez had said during the World Cup that he wanted to find a new club, having become unhappy at Atlético. Interest followed from both sides of the Spanish divide, with Barcelona among the most persistent, but Atlético shut down the possibility of a sale.
Barcelona initially kept open the prospect of revisiting the situation in a later transfer window while searching for another central striker. Deco’s comments in the Portuguese capital suggest that patience has now run out.
“Julián is in the past,” Deco said. “We need to look forward. We are happy with the rest. I hope he is doing well too and helping his club. There are many deals and signings that do not happen for us.”
Jesus becomes the alternative
Barcelona’s attention turned to Gabriel Jesus once it became clear that Álvarez would remain in Madrid. Deco said the Brazilian had not been part of the initial plan, partly because his own future had appeared uncertain amid discussion of a possible contract renewal.
“Gabriel Jesus was not in our plans because we did not know his situation,” Deco explained. “There was a lot of talk that he could renew and, when we decided Julián was impossible, we began looking for solutions.”
Jesus arrived after a serious injury, while Lewandowski and Ferrán Torres have departed, yet Barcelona’s attack has continued to produce. With Raphinha, Lamine Yamal and Adeyemi among the contributors, the club point to 37 goals in only eight games as evidence that the squad has found a way forward without Álvarez.
