Atletico Madrid Chief’s Strange Julian Alvarez Message Puts Barcelona, Real Madrid on Alert

Real Madrid have seen a bid of €150 million rejected.

Julián Álvarez has been the subject of interest from some of Europe’s top clubs. | Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Enrique Cerezo once again laid out his stance on Julián Alvarez, challenging any interested clubs to pay the forward’s €500 million ($580 million) contractual release clause. However, the Atlético Madrid president may have undermined his position by repeatedly referring to his star as “Julián Lopez.”

Álvarez’s future is fast becoming one of the transfer sagas of the summer, with Barcelona and Real Madrid among the clubs showing interest in a move.

Barça had been seen as frontrunners for the Argentina International. Back in May, reports of a bid worth €100 million ($116 million) were followed by a social media rant from Atlético which saw the club, in turn, make tongue-in-cheek offers to sign Lamine Yamal, Pedri and Raphinha.

Real Madrid, then, reported their own bid of €150 million ($173 million) for Álvarez. Atlético, once again, responded sharply to the idea of an offer from a direct rival with in a post which claimed Real Madrid “make us laugh more than Barcelona.”

More recently, both Champions League finalists Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal are thought to be lurking with intent.

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Julián ‘López’ Not for Sale

🔴🕸️"No tenemos constancia de que Julián Álvarez quiera irse"

🎙Enrique Cerezo, presidente del @Atleti, confirma que recibió la oferta del @realmadrid por el astro argentino, con el que tiene un pequeño lapsus con su apellido pic.twitter.com/USliDNdTjf

— RNE Deportes (@RNEdeportes) June 17, 2026

Cerezo has repeatedly denied that Álvarez could be sold this summer and once again outlined his position to the press, as his apparent indignation led him to misidentify his own player.

“Yes, Real Madrid's offer from Florentino arrived, and you already know what was said to Real Madrid. You keep repeating this, and one gets tired of it,” Cerezo complained, while speaking at the Sports Summit Madrid.

“Julián López is an Atlético player, and whoever wants Julián López should come, look at the contract, and if they’re interested, they can take him; and if they’re not interested, they won’t.”

Cerezo’s reference to “López’s” contract is a clear reference to the €500 million release clause in his deal, which runs until 2030.

“It seems to be the big story of the summer. You all know exactly how the situation stands. He's an Atlético de Madrid player, and I believe he will remain an Atlético de Madrid player,” Cerezo added.

“Enough of this Julián López saga. Julián López is an Atlético de Madrid player. Is that clear? Well, that’s it. The day he isn’t, you’ll know.”

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Could Alvarez Still Move Despite Cerezo’s Denials?

Álvarez joined Atlético in 2024. | Marcos del Mazo/LightRocket/Getty Images

Cerezo’s firm stance is unlikely to mark the end of the talk around Álvarez—as much as he would like it to.

While recent reports have suggested that Real Madrid have moved on after being so swiftly rejected by their neighbors, Barcelona could still pursue a deal for the player they view as a key target.

Barça are understood to be optimistic that the player wants to move. However, as the saga drags on, the risk is that they may face increased competition from clubs outside of Spain that Atléti may be more open to doing business with. Meanwhile, Madrid’s surprise bid has set a new minimum for future offers.

Ultimately, if Álvarez is to leave Atlético this summer, a formal transfer request may have to be submitted in order to soften Cerezo’s public stance. The forward, currently on duty with Argentina the World Cup, has remained tight-lipped so far.

Whatever happens, it is unlikely to be a saga that ends any time soon.

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