Barcelona has opened talks with Atletico Madrid to sign Argentina forward Julian Alvarez, submitting a bid reported between €90 million and €100 million on May 29, 2026 [1, 2, 3]. The Catalan club is pursuing Alvarez after meeting his representatives on May 28 to start negotiations [3].
Atletico Madrid signed Alvarez from Manchester City in 2024 for around €94 million. The player is under contract until 2030 with a release clause set at €500 million [2, 3]. Despite Barcelona’s offer, Atletico has publicly stated it does not intend to sell Alvarez for less than about €130 million [2]. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed Barcelona's proposal was worth €100 million with no add-ons or player exchanges and said Alvarez has reportedly asked to leave Atletico [2].
In response to Barcelona’s bid and what it called a "relentless smear campaign," Atletico Madrid mocked Barcelona's pursuit of Alvarez through satirical transfer offers for Barca players Lamine Yamal, Pedri, and Raphinha posted on social media on May 29 [1, 2, 3]. Atletico joked about offering "four tickets for tomorrow's Bad Bunny concert, an annual subscription to ABC newspaper, and a bag of sunflower seeds," saying, "We eagerly await the response to prepare the 'announce.'" [1]. They also referenced a controversy over past Barcelona payments to a referees' official and accused the club of political favors to register players [3].
Atletico accused Barcelona of calculated leaks, fake news, and disrespect during negotiations, describing the conduct as part of "the culé version of the propaganda machine" creating stories and making phone calls ahead of head-to-head matches [3].
Meanwhile, Barcelona is also progressing with the signing of Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon for about €80 million [2, 3].
Talks over Julian Alvarez continue following Barcelona’s bid submission and Atletico’s public ridicule and firm stance on a higher price.
