Barcelona prepare to move on from Alvarez chase

Barcelona’s hopes of landing Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid appear to be running out as the Catalan giants prepare for the start of the 2026-27 La Liga season without a recognised striker.

The club are due to kick off their campaign on Sunday against Elche and, as things stand, currently have no recognised striker in the squad ahead of the match. Alvarez has been Barcelona’s top target all summer but Atletico remain adamant he is not for sale.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Barca will make one last attempt to sign Alvarez and will then walk away if it is unsuccessful. The report adds that Barcelona have "set the next two or three days as the deadline" and will then look to activate an alternative option if Alvarez has not been signed.

There have been dozens of names mentioned already as possible alternatives to Alvarez. The rumor mill has claimed Ayoze Perez is the latest striker on Barca’s agenda. The Alvarez saga has dominated the headlines throughout the summer but, with time now running out, it seems that Barcelona may finally be about to move on.

Simeone insists Alvarez is staying and will miss opener

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone gave a fresh update on Julian Alvarez ahead of the start of their 2026-27 La Liga season, reiterating that the club’s stance has not changed despite continued Barcelona interest.

"I think if the club owner spoke definitively, I think that’s all there is to it. From that place, from the sporting point of view, we will try to take care of the person and the player. And hope that he is in the condition he needs to be at his level," Simeone said. "We don’t see him in the right condition to play yet, I hope that in the next four days he evolves and is closer to what we want."

Atletico CEO Gil Marin has previously said that he doesn’t want to sell Alvarez and has even accused Barcelona of disrespecting his club in their pursuit of the striker. Simeone’s side kick off their league season on Wednesday night against Malaga, while Barcelona are in action on Sunday away at Elche.

Alvarez will sit out the opening game of Atletico Madrid’s LaLiga campaign, but Simeone insists the Barcelona target will stay at the club and play a crucial role this season. Alvarez’s future has been a hot topic throughout a summer in which he helped Argentina reach the World Cup final.

Real Madrid had a bid – reportedly in the region of €150m – for Alvarez rejected in June, before Barca publicly declared their interest in signing the former Manchester City man. Senior figures at Atleti have repeatedly insisted Alvarez is going nowhere, with chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin saying the 26-year-old had been "poorly advised".

With Alvarez having a shortened pre-season due to the World Cup, Simeone revealed he will not be ready to face Malaga on Wednesday, though he hopes to have him available when Atletico host Villarreal on Sunday.

"I still think along the same lines that I was talking about the other day, in Korea. I take care of the sporting aspect," Simeone told reporters on Tuesday. "We have been talking, as we always do, and I understand that in the sporting aspect, he still needs a little more to be able to arrive in the best way on Sunday. He needs more training. He's the best player we have, and we're going to try to build a team around him, thinking about his style."

It remains to be seen whether Barca will re-ignite their interest in Alvarez, having already added Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi to their frontline while closing in on a €76.5m deal to sign World Cup Golden Ball winner Rodri from Manchester City. But Simeone is adamant that nothing has changed regarding Atleti's stance.

"Miguel Angel is the face of the club. There is nothing more blunt than the words of the owner – he was more than clear," Simeone said. "It is like when the judge issues a sentence! It is more than clear, what he expressed. From a sporting point of view, we want to take care of the person, the player. We do not see him participating in this match. I hope that in these four days, he will get closer."

Since Alvarez's Atletico debut in August 2024, he has scored the most goals and registered the joint-most assists of any player for the club. Atleti have already lost one big-name forward this summer, with their all-time leading scorer Antoine Griezmann joining MLS outfit Orlando City, after scoring 212 goals across two spells with Los Colchoneros.

Simeone believes the Frenchman is irreplaceable, saying: "There won't be another Griezmann. It was something incredible. We had a genius for years. We're going to miss him, but as has happened with many important players, we'll get along in the best way with the new boys who join the team."