If anyone is set to find himself in an extremely uncomfortable professional and moral situation this July, it is Julian Alvarez. That explains why the Argentine’s desire to move to FC Barcelona has been kept strictly behind closed doors. Atletico Madrid invested enormous money and effort to sign him as a cornerstone of the club’s project. Publicly admitting that he wants to join a direct La Liga rival such as Barcelona would provoke outrage among Atletico supporters at the Metropolitano and damage his relationship with the dressing room.
Atletico’s five word response to Barca regarding AlvarezThat is what Matteo Moretto, one of the most reliable sources on the Spanish transfer market, told Radio Marca.”I know that Julian has already spoken with Atletico’s board and informed them of his intentions. Privately, he has made it clear that he wants to go elsewhere. Where? His overwhelming preference is Barcelona. If Julian could choose any club, he would choose Barca. The only thing is that he will never admit that publicly, and the other question is whether Barcelona can actually sign him.”
Moretto went on to suggest that the worst possible outcome for Alvarez would be remaining at Atletico while everyone knows he stayed only because Barcelona could not afford him, rather than because he wanted to remain with the club.”Julian is aware that Barcelona are struggling financially and that a transfer worth 120 million euros or more is currently very difficult to complete. If he were to publicly ask for a move to Barca and the Catalans failed to raise the money, he would have to stay at Atletico as a ‘traitor’ who had publicly humiliated his own club. That is why he has chosen a strategy of silence in public while applying pressure privately” revealed Moretto.
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Atletico’s board have reportedly acted in good faith by offering him a new contract with significantly improved financial terms in an effort to convince him that he is a key part of the team’s future. The fact that Alvarez and his representatives have allegedly ignored the proposal for months and have not responded to calls has created internal embarrassment and tension within the club.