Barcelona president Joan Laporta has lifted the lid on the club’s pursuit of Julian Alvarez, revealing that the Catalan giants made a formal approach to Atletico Madrid before the situation took an unexpected turn.
The Alvarez saga has taken another dramatic twist after Laporta addressed Barcelona supporters through the club’s official social media channels.
According to the Barcelona president, the club contacted Atletico directly and made its interest in the Argentina international clear.
Laporta also personally discussed the situation with Atletico chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin.
The initial response, however, was straightforward: Atletico had no intention of selling their star forward because they did not have a suitable replacement lined up.
Barcelona accepted that position but left the door open for a possible move if Atletico managed to find another attacker during the summer transfer window.
That appeared to bring the Catalan club’s immediate pursuit to an end.
Then, according to Laporta, Barcelona received information that Atletico were discussing Alvarez’s potential sale with other clubs.
That development changed the situation.
Laporta explained that Barcelona decided to keep their proposal on the table, particularly because of the player’s reported desire to move to Camp Nou.
The Barcelona president insisted that the club initially respected Atletico’s decision not to sell.
“I’d like to explain how everything happened, because at Barcelona we made an offer to Atletico Madrid, club to club. I personally confirmed that offer during a private phone conversation I had with Miguel Angel Gil Marin.
“He told me they had no intention of selling the player because they didn’t have a replacement for him looking toward the future.
“I told him we were interested in the player and that, of course, we respected their position of not wanting to sell him. But if they found a replacement during the current summer transfer window, we’d be interested in signing him.
“So, after Atletico Madrid confirmed they wouldn’t sell him, we said: ‘Okay, we’ll leave it for later,’ because, in principle, they didn’t have a replacement and therefore we couldn’t sign the player.
“What happened next? We received information at the club that Atlético de Madrid was negotiating with other clubs about selling the player.
“Naturally, after receiving that information, we said we were still holding our proposal and our offer, because everyone knows the player wants to come to Barcelona.”
Laporta’s comments suggest Barcelona believe circumstances surrounding Alvarez’s availability may have changed since Atletico initially rejected their approach.
Rather than abandoning the pursuit, the Spanish giants have maintained their offer and are monitoring developments closely.
Alvarez remains one of the most coveted forwards in European football.
His versatility, movement and goalscoring ability make him an attractive option for Barcelona as the club continues to shape its squad.
The biggest complication remains Atletico’s position and whether the Madrid club ultimately decides that the financial and sporting benefits of a transfer outweigh keeping their prized attacker.
For Barcelona, however, Laporta’s intervention sends a clear message: the door is still open.
The Catalan club appear ready to move if Atletico change their stance, particularly if the player continues to push for a move.
For now, the Julian Alvarez saga remains firmly alive—and Laporta’s latest revelation has added another layer to an already fascinating transfer story.
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