Agent Fernando Hidalgo issued a pointed statement late on Friday night aimed at Atletico Madrid chief executive Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, according to AS, underlining that neither he nor his client regard the situation as settled even as the Rojiblancos maintain their hardline public stance.
Sources close to the Argentina international say he told the club of his desire to leave back in March, with Gil Marín's response being that Atlético would only sanction a sale if a formal offer of €150 million arrived with a written commitment attached.
Álvarez is said to have presented exactly that in June, from Real Madrid, after first receiving the green light from the Bernabéu club. According to the same sources, once news of the offer became public, it was Gil Marín who asked Álvarez to state publicly during the World Cup that he wanted to leave.
Gil Marín has declined to meet either the player or his agent in recent days, telling Hidalgo on Thursday that he would not budge on a sale under any circumstances. Despite that, Álvarez's stated aim between now and the close of the window remains to force a resolution, though sources close to the forward stress he will not take any extreme action. He is expected to be included in Diego Simeone's squad to face Villarreal on Sunday.
Álvarez has continued training normally, though his body language during sessions has reportedly been telling, with a visible distance from Simeone during recent work. Addressing the situation in a press conference, the coach was measured.
"For each person it is very difficult to say how the other feels, because I am not the other person," Simeone said. "He is training in the best possible way, with respect for his team-mates.
"I don't share insults or grievances, any word at this moment when people are waiting for that division, to generate conflict, to generate uncertainty — the uncertainties are not there."
Hidalgo's public message followed remarks attributed to Gil Marín suggesting Álvarez "had not had the best advisers." The agent's response, posted on social media, read: "Never ask a liar why he lied. To explain himself, he would have to lie again."
Barcelona have not abandoned their pursuit, with Álvarez still viewed at Camp Nou as the leading target to strengthen the forward line. Sporting director Deco is understood to be exploring alternatives including Inter Milan's Lautaro Martínez and Club Brugge's Nicolo Tresoldi given the difficulty of shifting Atlético's position, though sources close to the negotiations say Barcelona could yet make a significant move in the coming days.
There remains an alternative route that, while not the forward's preference, has not been fully closed off. Álvarez has left the door to Arsenal only marginally ajar; his refusal of the Premier League champions still stands, but manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta have maintained regular contact with the player throughout.
Visa complications for family visits to the UK, along with a preference for life in Spain following his experiences at Manchester City, have weighed heavily against a return to English football.
Gil Marín, for his part, has staked his position on Álvarez not joining Barcelona. "We are going to help Julián and continue to look after him so he can give us all his potential, because we need him to keep competing among the elite of Europe," he said in a statement carried by EFE. Álvarez's intention, however, remains unchanged: he wants out of Atlético Madrid.