Real Madrid made a formal offer of 150 million euros ($173 million) to Atlético Madrid for the federative rights of striker Julián Álvarez on June 9, 2026, but Atlético rejected the bid citing Álvarez's 500 million euros ($577 million) release clause [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8].
Atlético Madrid responded on social media with a mocking message denying they had even considered the offer. The club tweeted, "You must have confused education with gratitude, but to leave no doubt: we don’t thank you for anything. We neither study nor consider any offer for Julián. How could we not get along with you when you make us laugh even more than FC Barcelona does" [6, 7, 8].
Julián Álvarez, 26, joined Atlético in 2024 from Manchester City and is under contract until June 30, 2030 [2, 4, 5, 7, 8]. He scored 20 goals in 49 appearances last season, including 8 goals in La Liga and 10 in the Champions League, according to some sources, though one outlet claims 49 goals in 106 total appearances since 2024 [1, 2, 4, 8].
Real Madrid’s president Florentino Perez was re-elected on June 7, 2026, promising to spend 150 million euros on a new player [1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8]. The offer for Álvarez was seen as fulfilling that pledge. However, reports from June 10 say incoming head coach José Mourinho was upset by the bid as he was not consulted and reportedly does not favor signing Álvarez [9].
Álvarez has also attracted interest from Barcelona, Arsenal, and Paris Saint-Germain. Barcelona reportedly made a 100 million euros offer last week, which Atlético considered too low and rejected [4, 6, 7, 9].
With Atlético firmly rejecting the offer and the player's release clause set at 500 million euros, Real Madrid is unlikely to increase their bid [5, 6].
Real Madrid dismissed Alvaro Arbeloa on June 9 to make way for Mourinho as their new head coach [4]. The club’s next transfer moves will likely depend on Mourinho’s influence and whether negotiations for Álvarez can be reopened.
