Barcelona are pressing on with their pursuit of Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, even though the deal looks tough given his club's firm refusal to sell this summer.
The Catalan side know just how much the 26-year-old Argentine's stance matters. For now, Julian remains determined to leave Atletico, where his contract runs until 2030, and move to Barcelona, according to the newspaper "Mundo Deportivo".
Barcelona expect the Argentine star to reaffirm his desire to join them.
Alvarez is due to report for Atletico Madrid's pre-season training on Monday 10 August, and Barcelona are believed to be ready to table an offer to Atletico's board to confirm his decision to leave.
The Catalans reckon the move is still on, but it could drag out, perhaps until the final two weeks of August, with all the risks that brings.
Their commitment to Julian runs deep, driven by his obvious devotion to Barcelona. He publicly asked for the move during the World Cup, and he is coach Hansi Flick's preferred forward.
Flick sees Alvarez as the ideal striker for his pace, skill, versatility and eye for goal, with his work rate a key factor too.
A careful reading of the strikers' market has shaped Barcelona's thinking too. Genuine top-class options are thin on the ground. Erling Haaland (Manchester City) and Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) are out there, but signing either looks impossible right now.
Players a rung below are in high demand as well. Victor Osimhen is one, with a 75 million euro asking price, which is why Barcelona want to exhaust every avenue with Julian.
Should they fail to land Alvarez, they will weigh up other options, including signing nobody at all.
Barcelona have no intention of buying a player simply out of desperation. They would rather lean on false nines, and the squad already has several.
Selling Ferran Torres would change everything. The club would then need at least one striker, having lost two forwards with Robert Lewandowski also on his way out.