The crisis over Julian Alvarez’s future has entered a new phase, with the end of the transfer market approaching and the continuing dispute between the Argentine striker’s desire and the hardline stance of the Atletico Madrid management.
Atletico are still sticking to the player’s continuity, while European clubs are trying to take advantage of his stumbling block to Barcelona and persuade him to choose an alternative project that would allow him to leave the Metropolitano Stadium.
Josep Pedriol, the host of the “El Chiringito” program, revealed that Mikel Arteta made a personal call to Alvarez to explain the Arsenal project, but the Argentine striker did not answer the call from the Gunners coach.
Alvarez insists Barcelona is his next destination, and his boycott of other options could turn into a pressure card that would force Atletico to reconsider its categorical refusal to sell him to their local rivals.
The crisis began at the beginning of the summer when Barcelona made an offer of about 100 million euros to pay over six years, before Alvarez announced during the World Cup his desire to leave and achieve his “dream”, while his contract extends until 2030 with a penalty clause of 500 million.
Atletico refused to discuss Barcelona’s offer, stressing that it would not sell the player to the Catalan club for 100, 150 or even 200 million euros, although it is willing to consider an offer of close to 150 million euros from Arsenal if Alvarez agrees.
Tensions escalated against Villarreal when the player was booed during the announcement of his name and warm-up, and then entered in the 66th minute, and the protests continued with every touch and the fans chanted for his departure, before heading to the dressing room alone amid further booing.
