Barcelona Can’t Afford to Waste Time on Julian Alvarez in Desperate Search for Striker

Diego Simeone is probably fed up of talking about Julián Alvarez, a player whose name has routinely been the subject of media conferences this summer and will continue to be so until the transfer deadline has passed at the start of next month.

Simeone said nothing different when reporters again brought up the Atlético Madrid striker ahead of the club’s La Liga opener against Málaga on Wednesday. Alvarez, who went public with his desire to leave during the World Cup, is still not for sale.

Barcelona, widely believed to be the “dream” destination that Alvarez referenced, are set to be disappointed.

Atletico, Simeone Stance Unchanged

Diego Simeone spoke to reporters on Tuesday. | Dennis Agyeman/Europa Press/Getty Images

“I still think along the same lines as I did the other day in Korea,” Simeone said, reiterating that there is no update or changing stance in regards to Alvarez’s situation.

“I take care of the sporting side. We were talking as we always do, and I understand that he still needs a little more time to be in top form for Sunday [against Villarreal]. He needs more training.

“He’s our best player. We’re going to try to build a team around him, keeping his age in mind.”

Reports of a recent meeting behind closed doors, in which Alvarez is said to have “insisted” on a transfer, suggest the public response is exactly what Simeone has been saying in private. In a conversation last Wednesday, the manager is claimed to have acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, but made sure Alvarez knows he is a “key player.”

The club will ultimately decide his fate if an acceptable offer comes in. But Barcelona have already been knocked back with a nine-figure proposal and the likelihood of even being able to afford him at this late stage of the summer is fading anyway.

There is still no communication that Barcelona have registered existing signings Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi, with an expensive deal for Rodri also now complete.

Last summer, Marcus Rashford and Joan García weren’t greenlit to play in La Liga until the day of the first game. It isn’t simply a case of affording the transfer fee—it’s making sure the costs comply with La Liga’s strict squad budget rules.

Barcelona Desperate for a Striker

With Robert Lewandowski gone and Ferran Torres joining Paris Saint-Germain in recent days, Barcelona do not have a recognized first-team striker.

There is talk of Hansi Flick experimenting with Lamine Yamal as a false nine, although it would more likely be Raphinha, Gordon or Adeyemi who gets that role when La Liga begins for the reigning champions against Elche on Sunday. Raphinha did it against Basel last weekend.

There has been a sudden surge of speculation about revived interest in Rashford, with Dušan Vlahović also now off the market since joining Beşiktaş last week.

Teenage frontman Hamza Abdelkarim, registered with Barcelona B, has scored three goals in two preseason appearances against Birmingham City and Basel.

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