Atlético Madrid chief executive Miguel Ángel Gil Marín has declared there is a “zero percent” chance of Julián Álvarez joining Barcelona this summer, accusing the Catalan club of acting without ethics as the Argentina striker considers a switch to Arsenal. The hardline stance comes with the transfer window closing on Tuesday and Álvarez absent from training on Wednesday due to illness.
Atlético’s Barcelona Ban
Gil Marín launched a blistering attack on Barcelona’s pursuit of the forward on Thursday, stating the Madrid club would not negotiate with their La Liga rivals. He told Movistar Plus that Atlético were “repulsed by the dishonesty” and cited a “lack of ethics, transparency and professionalism” in Barcelona’s approach. He vowed the club would refuse to negotiate with Barcelona “under any circumstances.”
Atlético’s board of directors unanimously backed the decision to block talks earlier on Thursday. The club had publicly rejected a €100 million bid from Barcelona three months ago, and Gil Marín reaffirmed that no deal would materialise regardless of price. Should Álvarez push to leave, the CEO said the club would seek “an alternative,” but stressed: “It will never, ever be Barcelona.”
Barcelona vice-president Rafa Yuste responded angrily to the remarks. “It is a lack of manners and respect,” he told Movistar Plus. “With those words, they’ve crossed a red line.” Barcelona president Joan Laporta had confirmed earlier in the week that his club remained interested but would not improve their rejected offer.
The Arsenal Alternative
With his desired move to Camp Nou blocked, Álvarez is now considering Arsenal for the first time, according to Marca. The North London club have pursued the World Cup winner for over a year and stepped up their approach as the Barcelona impasse dragged on. Sporting director Mateu Alemany was in London last week and is thought to have met Arsenal representatives.
The forward missed Wednesday’s training session with illness, club sources told Marca, though the absence comes amid growing tension. Álvarez left the pitch before his teammates after Sunday’s draw with Villarreal, a decision manager Diego Simeone confirmed was taken to shield him from the Frente Atlético ultras. His family also broke from routine by not attending the fixture.
Gil Marín acknowledged the player is suffering. “Julián is really struggling,” he said. “There have been people who have set out to deceive and confuse him.” He added that the forward is “very confused and going through a difficult time, both personally and professionally.”
Deadline Obstacles
Any move to Arsenal remains conditional on Álvarez personally sanctioning the switch, and no agreement currently exists between the clubs. Marca journalist David Medina has speculated that a framework potentially worth around €150 million could be in place, which would set a club-record outgoing fee for Atlético, though this figure is unconfirmed.
Time is running short. The window shuts on Tuesday, and Atlético would need to identify and secure a replacement before sanctioning any departure. With Álvarez currently unwell and the relationship with sections of the fanbase strained, the coming days will determine whether the striker pushes for an Emirates switch or attempts to rebuild bridges in Madrid.