Atletico Madrid want to sell Julian Alvarez to Paris Saint-Germain and not domestic rival FC Barcelona – who the player wants to join – according to SPORT, which cited anonymous sources.
Furthermore, all negotiations involving the Argentine’s possible transfer away from the Metropolitano are on hold until after his World Cup with Argentina has concluded.
With Robert Lewandowski set to leave when his contract expires on June 30, Alvarez is Barça’s number one target to inherit the number 9 shirt at the Spotify Camp Nou.
Reports from the 26-year-old’s homeland say that Alvarez has agreed to join the Catalans on a five-year deal deal.
Barcelona reportedly lodged a $116 million bid for Alvarez on the same day it announced Anthony Gordon. Yet it’s believed that this will have to be upped considerably for Atleti to budge.
Atletico Madrid don’t want to sell Alvarez to FC Barcelona
At the turn of the week, Atleti President Enrique Cerezo issued a hands-off warning by saying “Julian Alvarez is an Atletico Madrid player, not just for this past season, but for many others.”
According to SPORT, though, there is tension in the Spanish capital because Alvarez wants to join Barça but the Rojiblancos only want to sell him to Paris Saint-Germain.
Atleti and back-to-back Champions League winner PSG are said to be “on the same page”. We’ve already seen reports of the two clubs having an agreement to wait for formal negotiations to take place, until after Luis Enrique’s men beat Arsenal in Budapest at the weekend to reign Europe once more.
The only obstacle standing in the way of selling to PSG, and not Barça, is Atleti’s asking price of $175 million (€150 million euros).
While that’s pocket change for the Qatari-backed Ligue 1 behemoth, it’d also be hard for the Blaugrana to raise in times of trying to return to the 1:1 rule – at least not without a number of player sales.
PSG find that price too high but could bring it down by offering one of their players to Atletico.
Ultimately, though, it is Alvarez that must decide where he wants to go. He might have to force his exit to Barcelona, by refusing to negotiate with the Parisians.