Barcelona have launched a fresh offensive to keep their pursuit of Julian Alvarez alive despite growing resistance from Atletico Madrid. Sporting director Deco has reportedly travelled to the capital for a discreet meeting with the Argentine’s representative to explore a path forward for the high-profile transfer.
Julian Alvarez finds himself at a career crossroads as Atletico Madrid have reportedly blocked his path to Barcelona. The Argentine forward, who has expressed a clear desire to join the Catalan giants, has been told in no uncertain terms that a move to a direct La Liga rival is off the table.
No one could ever accuse Julian Alvarez of not knowing exactly what he wants. It was a surprise when he decided to push for a move away from Manchester City in 2024, after winning a pair of Premier League titles and the Champions League in his first two seasons at the club, but the Argentine forward had grown tired of being in the shadow of Norwegian terminator Erling Haaland.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has officially launched a disciplinary investigation into Barcelona following a formal complaint from Atletico Madrid. The capital club allege that the Catalan giants illegally approached star forward Julian Alvarez outside the permitted transfer window parameters to secure his signature.
Barcelona have identified Bournemouth sensation Eli Junior Kroupi as a potential transfer target as they search for a new striker. While Julian Alvarez remains the top priority for the Spanish champions, the Catalan giants are actively preparing backup options should a deal with Atletico Madrid collapse.
The transfer soap opera involving Julian Alvarez, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid has entered a decisive phase as the Catalan giants wait for the player to force his exit. Barcelona president Joan Laporta has made it clear that the club's massive offer will not stay on the table forever as they look to finalise their squad for the upcoming campaign.
With the World Cup over and pre-season friendlies beginning in earnest over the next week, it feels like the new club season is hurtling towards us at a rather alarming rate. With that in mind, managers are getting increasingly twitchy when it comes to transfers, with coaches around Europe keen to know which players they will and won't be able to call upon over the coming weeks and months.
And so the 2026 World Cup has come to a close after an enthralling 39 days that saw Spain get their hands on the trophy. Throughout the showpiece tournament in North America, GOAL, in association with eToro, has been tracking the value of some of the world's most sought-after talents. Did their price rise or plummet? Check out the final standings of our unique player value tracker to find out...
Arsenal are expected to see movement on the striker front this summer, with Jeremie Aliadiere admitting to GOAL that it is “not a secret” that Gabriel Jesus is likely to depart. If the Brazil international is offloaded, then funds and squad space will be freed up for reinforcements. The Gunners continue to be heavily linked with Argentine forward Julian Alvarez.
The World Cup final is finally upon us, and Sunday's showdown between Spain and Argentina in New Jersey promises to be an absolutely enthralling encounter between the two best teams in the tournament - with the emphasis very much on 'teams'.
