Going all in? Barcelona preparing €140 million bid for La Liga star
Barcelona is ramping up its efforts to sign Atlético striker Julián Álvarez, undeterred by the Madrid club's tough negotiating stance. The Catalans have decided to change their approach and are now banking on a diplomatic route to get the deal done.
According to AS, Barcelona's sporting director Deco met in Madrid with Fernando Hidalgo, the agent representing the Argentine forward. Following this meeting, the Catalan club dropped its demand for Álvarez to make a public statement about his desire to leave and is now focused on resolving the situation through direct negotiations.
Álvarez is expected to rejoin Atlético's training sessions but does not plan to make any public declarations. Instead, his intention is to first speak privately with head coach Diego Simeone and then with the club's management. The expectation is that the striker will make it clear: he wants to leave the Madrid side and is only interested in a move to Barcelona.
To sway Atlético’s position, Barcelona will have to significantly increase its bid. The Catalans’ initial offer fell short of $116 million, then the club raised it to that amount, and now, according to sources, the latest proposal is around $140 million.
Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
