Atletico Madrid have confirmed that Julian Alvarez will not join Barcelona.
The Spanish club released a statement on Thursday. The statement ended weeks of reports about a possible move for the Argentina striker.
Atletico’s board fully backed the club’s decision. They also said they will not negotiate with Barcelona over Alvarez.
The club said it is open to normal transfer talks. However, Atletico believe Barcelona did not meet the standards expected during talks over the player.
Atletico said there will be no talks with Barcelona. They also said they have no plans to consider an Alvarez transfer.
The decision is a major blow for Barcelona. The Catalan club have been linked with Alvarez for much of the summer. The striker has emerged as one of the biggest names in the European transfer market.
Atletico also want Alvarez to stay focused on the team. The club believes he will accept the decision and continue helping them achieve their goals.
However, the situation has already caused tension.
Alvarez missed Atletico’s squad for their opening La Liga game. He returned for the second match but started on the bench.
When Alvarez came on, some Atletico supporters booed him.
The reaction has added more pressure around his future. Atletico, though, now appear determined to keep him.
Arsenal have also shown interest in Alvarez. The Premier League champions are reportedly monitoring the striker as they consider attacking options.
Reports have put Alvarez’s release clause at 500 million euros. That figure is around $582 million.
Even so, Atletico’s latest statement suggests the club does not want to sell. Their public stance could make a move difficult for both Barcelona and Arsenal.
Alvarez joined Atletico after leaving Manchester City. He has since become an important player under Diego Simeone.
Barcelona must now decide whether to keep pushing for the striker. They may also have to consider other targets.
