Atletico Madrid are preparing to file a formal complaint with FIFA against Barcelona over their pursuit of Álvarez, insisting the Catalan club have conducted an illegal approach for a player under contract at the Metropolitano until 2030 — and declaring that no transfer fee exists at which they would sell him to Barcelona.
Álvarez's public statement after Argentina's 2-0 World Cup win over Austria, in which he said "a transfer is best for everyone and I want to fulfil my dream," brought matters to a head. Atlético immediately identified the remarks as the product of a campaign orchestrated from within Barcelona's circle. Sources at the club speaking to AS were unequivocal.
"Everyone knows they are a cheating club — what happened in the Negreira case or their behaviour with players from other clubs. But they have found a club that won't take this lying down."
Atlético's position on a sale to Barcelona is absolute.
"There is no amount of money for which Barcelona can buy Julián. He will not be transferred to Barcelona. Either they pay the €500 million release clause or there is nothing to discuss."
The club drew an explicit parallel with the Antoine Griezmann saga of 2019, when Barcelona were accused of agreeing terms with the France international while he was still under contract — an episode that ended with a protracted legal dispute and a €200 million transfer after his release clause dropped.
"We have already seen how Barcelona operates in the past. The way they behaved with Griezmann when Atlético were competing in the Champions League against Juventus — promising commissions to his sister, his family and the player himself. Just last summer the same thing happened with Nico Williams."
Atlético also pointed to what they described as Barcelona-connected sources openly anticipating Álvarez's statement before it was made.
"In recent hours there were meetings in Barcelona's circles leaking what was going to happen. Some were laughing about it: 'All we need now is for the player to speak.'"
Álvarez is under contract until 2030 and scored twenty goals in forty-nine appearances for Atlético last season. The club will pursue the FIFA complaint regardless of how the player's situation develops.