Atlético Madrid Declares ‘0% Chance’ of Selling Álvarez to Barcelona
Atlético Madrid have gone on the offensive in the Julian Álvarez saga, flatly declaring there is “0% chance” they will sell the Argentina forward to Barcelona, despite Joan Laporta insisting a €100m offer is still on the table.
The message from the Metropolitano is blunt: this is not a negotiation.
This is not about money, it’s about dignity
The tension exploded again on Wednesday after Barcelona president Laporta released a new video confirming the club’s €100m (£85.7m) bid for Álvarez remained active. Atlético’s response was immediate and furious.
“This is not about money, it's about dignity. The player is being victimised, but the only victim in the Julian case is us,” the club said in a strongly worded statement.
“They have harmed us economically and socially. There is 0% chance of selling him to Barca.
“There is a campaign of many lies and half-truths. The only one paying for this is Atlético.”
Barcelona sources maintain they will keep pushing for Álvarez until the window closes, but they are running into a wall. Atlético insist they will not bend, not for Barcelona, not at this price, not in this context.
Booed, benched, and absent from training
While the clubs trade barbs, Álvarez is caught in the crossfire.
On Sunday, he started on the bench in Atlético’s draw with Villarreal. The atmosphere turned toxic the moment he stood up to warm up. Boos rained down. When he finally came on in the 66th minute, the jeers grew louder.
At full-time, Álvarez headed straight down the tunnel instead of joining his teammates to applaud the fans. That only inflamed the crowd further.
Diego Simeone later suggested it had been a pre-agreed club decision for Álvarez to go directly to the dressing room. The optics told a different story: a star forward, unsettled, isolated and under fire from his own supporters.
On Wednesday, the 26-year-old missed training. Reports in Spain say he was unwell, adding another layer of uncertainty to a week already dominated by speculation.
Barcelona won’t let go, Arsenal wait in the shadows
Laporta, speaking before Barcelona’s game against Athletic Club on Thursday, chose his words carefully. Hansi Flick chose even fewer.
The Barça head coach refused to be drawn into the Álvarez storm, saying only: “I only want to speak about the situation of the club.”
Behind the scenes, though, Barcelona have been relentless. They view Álvarez as the ideal long-term successor to Robert Lewandowski, who left the club this summer. Their first move came back in May, when they opened talks and lodged an initial offer.
Atlético’s stance then was the same as now: absolutely not.
The Madrid club even mocked Barcelona publicly, posting a series of sarcastic social media messages to their millions of followers and accusing Barça of leading a “smear campaign.”
While Barcelona keep knocking, Arsenal are watching. The Premier League club regard Álvarez as a dream signing for their attack and have maintained interest as the saga has dragged on. For now, though, the Gunners are keeping their powder dry, increasingly aware of how slim their chances are before next week’s deadline.
Sources close to the situation insist Álvarez still wants to stay in Spain. That alone keeps Barcelona and Paris St-Germain on alert, even as Arsenal step back.
Real Madrid’s rejected Galáctico bid
Barcelona are not the only giants to have tested Atlético’s resolve.
In June, Real Madrid arrived with a blockbuster offer of €150m (£130m) for Álvarez. Florentino Pérez had publicly promised fans he would make a €150m bid for an unnamed “Galáctico” if re-elected. Álvarez became that statement target.
The bid was turned down. Real Madrid, pointing to Álvarez’s €500m (£430m) release clause, said Atlético had “expressed its gratitude for the proposal.”
Atlético fired back again online, denying any gratitude and repeating that they would not sell Álvarez to Barcelona. The message was clear: their city rivals could not prise him away either, not on those terms, not in this climate.
Chief executive Miguel Ángel Gil Marín later underlined that position, saying Atlético would not sell Álvarez “even for 200m euros (£170.8m).”
A player who wants out, a club that won’t budge
Amid all this, Álvarez has not exactly hidden his own feelings.
After Argentina’s win over Austria in June, he admitted he had spoken with Atlético about his future. “The best thing for everyone is a transfer,” he said, adding: “I want to fulfil my dream.”
Those words cut straight through Atlético’s public insistence that he was not for sale. They confirmed what many suspected: the World Cup winner is open to leaving.
Barcelona and PSG were quickly named among the clubs interested. The narrative since then has only intensified, every quote and gesture dissected, every appearance weighed against the backdrop of a looming transfer.
Atlético, though, keep repeating the same line. No deal. No compromise. No sale to Barcelona.
With deadline day on 1 September closing in, the standoff is hardening. Barcelona say the offer is still there. Arsenal lurk but hesitate. Real Madrid have already been rebuffed.
And in the middle of it all stands Julian Álvarez – booed by his own fans, wanted across Europe, and tied to a club that insists there is “0% chance” he’s going anywhere near Camp Nou.
