Atletico Madrid are flying high after a 2–0 win over Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday night, courtesy of a Julian Alvarez free-kick and an Alexander Sorloth goal. The Argentine has been a talking point for some time, with the Catalan side keen to steal him away this summer.
Álvarez is reportedly the primary target for Barcelona this summer as they look to sign a long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski at centre-forward, and he has been consistently linked with the Blaugrana. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid have remained adamant that he is not for sale, with club president Enrique Cerezo stating, “Julian Alvarez has a contract with Atletico Madrid,” when asked if he could guarantee his presence next season.
In recent months, Atletico have been keen to tie him down to a new deal in order to fend off Barcelona’s interest. The club’s new majority owners, Apollo Sports Capital, reportedly want Álvarez to become the face of the project. According to reports, Atletico are prepared to offer to double — or even more than double — his current salary. The 26-year-old is already under contract until 2030.
It has also been suggested that the outcome of the Champions League tie could influence Álvarez’s future. If Atletico eliminate Barcelona, it would strengthen their argument that their sporting project is progressing in line with the player’s ambitions. Should they go on to win the competition, Álvarez would likely be considered untouchable as a central figure in what would be the club’s greatest-ever achievement.
For his part, Álvarez has not guaranteed that he will remain at Atletico next season, although he has said he is happy in Madrid. Elsewhere, Arsenal and Chelsea are also reported to be monitoring his situation in case he becomes available.