The Pursuit of a Top Target

FC Barcelona remain steadfast in their pursuit of Julián Alvarez, refusing to abandon the deal despite the significant difficulties involved in prying the forward away from Atlético Madrid. The Catalan giants are reportedly relying on the player's own ambition to drive the move forward.

With Alvarez expected to report back for Atlético's preseason on August 10th, Barcelona are "watching like a hawk," anticipating that the player will reiterate his desire to leave the Madrid-based club. However, the club acknowledges that Atlético still holds the power to reject any advances, creating a potentially awkward situation for the player.

Strategic Necessity and Plan B

The decision to persist with Alvarez is driven by two main factors. Firstly, he is the club's number one choice, and both the player and the board have invested too much effort into the pursuit to stop now. Secondly, the transfer market for strikers has become prohibitively expensive, with even "second rung" options commanding inflated fees.

The situation is further complicated by Barcelona's current squad depth. With Robert Lewandowski having already departed for Chicago Fire, the club's ability to forgo a signing depends entirely on the future of Ferran Torres. Should Torres be sold, Barcelona would be forced to secure at least one new striker to avoid a crisis in their attacking line.