Barcelona Push to Close Alvarez Deal

Barcelona's biggest attacking pursuit of the summer, Julian Alvarez, has entered a critical phase. According to Sport, the Catalan club had been working to finalise the transfer before the start of August, but that date passed without an agreement. The report notes that Barcelona never set an official, public deadline for their offer, though the sporting management had an internal roadmap aiming to settle the matter before August.

Alvarez himself is said to have clarified his position at this decisive stage, offering a signal that Barcelona interpreted as evidence the deal could still be completed. The striker reportedly showed genuine willingness to hear out the Catalan project, keeping hope alive within the club's offices for weeks. However, Atletico Madrid's firm stance has only made things harder against Barcelona's self-imposed timeline.

Atletico Madrid have firmly rejected all approaches throughout the summer, including a €150 million bid from Real Madrid. Barcelona president Joan Laporta had previously stated: "We have made an offer, but this offer is not unlimited in time," adding that "the deadline for the offer is between the last week of July and the first week of August." Despite that window passing, the process continues.

Source: Sport
Image: Be Soccer