'He wants to come' - Joan Laporta confirms Barcelona transfer bid for Julian Alvarez & accuses Atletico Madrid of being 'completely inflexible'

Barcelona's pursuit of Alvarez went public after the Barca chief confirmed a "club-to-club" offer following an inauguration ceremony, matching the forward's own comments after Argentina's 2-0 World Cup win over Austria where he told ESPN: "I spoke with the people at Atletico and the best thing for everyone is a transfer so I can fulfil my dream."

Laporta has denied claims that Barcelona had any role in the forward's comments, telling reporters: "Let me state upfront that we continue to have great respect for Atletico. The tweets were before Julian stated that he wants to play for a big team; he didn't mention Barca. Some interpreted it as Barca, and others didn't. We didn't force this; it was the player himself. This player was on Barça's radar before signing for City, and even before that. At that time, we couldn't afford the transfer. We made an offer, club to club."

Despite a formal proposal, negotiations have stalled as Laporta suggested Atletico are delaying because they lack a replacement for Alvarez. The 26-year-old forward, who joined Atletico from Manchester City in 2024 on a six-year deal, is coming off a stellar 2025-26 season with 20 goals and nine assists across all competitions.

Laporta stated: "We understand that he's not selling because he doesn't have alternatives. When they have alternatives, if they want to, and this offer is still valid, we're interested in making the transfer. Now I see that there have been a series of actions. I don't see the logic behind this. All of Atletico's representatives are very experienced, and I don't know what their strategy is. They have our offer; if they want to accept, we'd be delighted."

Tensions escalated as Atletico officially filed complaints with FIFA and the Spanish Football Federation RFEF) against Barcelona for improperly pursuing Alvarez during a protected contract period - a legal move confirmed by Atletico CEO Miguel Ángel Gil Marín. In response, Laporta questioned the necessity of such aggressive tactics given the clubs' history.

"It won't be the first time we've done a deal, and they've always been done, except for a few contentious ones, by agreement and without problems," the president added. "This one is more sensitive, perhaps. We're making a significant effort, and it's a proposal we'll maintain until we reconsider. Atletico are being completely inflexible, and I hope they'll change their minds and accept. If they don't, they should say so, and we'll see. But taking it to UEFA, FIFA... I don't know what the point is. Maybe there are people looking to stir things up... it doesn't make sense."

While Barcelona are keen to secure Alvarez, Laporta warned that the club's patience and financial commitment are not limitless. He asserted that the Catalan club will dictate their own terms in the market and will not wait indefinitely for Atletico to soften their position. The message was clear: the offer is on the table, but the clock is ticking for those at the Metropolitano to make a decision.

"Barca can handle any operation, but with sporting and economic logic. We'll dictate the market. I've spoken with Atlético and made it clear what we want. Deco made an offer. We know the player wants to come to Barça, and has for a long time. We made this proposal with all due respect to the Madrid club. They told me they weren't planning to sell because we didn't have any alternatives. We'll maintain this offer for as long as we deem necessary. We won't be at their mercy. If they want to make the move, we'd be delighted. The offer isn't open-ended," Laporta concluded.