Barcelona set July 31 deadline for Julián Álvarez as Atlético refuse to sell

Barcelona are waiting for Julián Álvarez to publicly declare his desire to leave Atlético Madrid, and have set July 31 as an internal deadline after which they will pursue alternative forwards, according to Spanish outlet SPORT. The Blaugrana consider the 26-year-old their priority attacking target this summer but are unwilling to let the pursuit drag on indefinitely.

Álvarez reportedly stayed silent on his club future throughout the World Cup to avoid creating a distraction inside Argentina’s camp. With the tournament now concluded — Argentina reached the final — Barcelona believe the striker is ready to take a firmer public stance, having grown increasingly frustrated with Atlético Madrid’s refusal to sanction a sale.

The core of the dispute, per SPORT, is an alleged promise made to Álvarez that he would be free to leave at the end of the season if he wished. Atlético’s hierarchy has since declared him not for sale under any circumstances, a position that has soured the relationship between player and club. Barcelona’s calculation is that a public statement from Álvarez could pile pressure on Los Colchoneros and force open negotiations that have so far failed to begin.

Whether Álvarez is willing to go that far remains the central uncertainty in the saga. He has consistently avoided a public confrontation with Atlético, and there is no indication in the SPORT report that such a statement is imminent — only that Barcelona believe the conditions now exist for him to make one.

Should July 31 pass without meaningful progress, Barcelona will shift their focus to other targets. The deadline reflects the club’s desire to resolve their attacking recruitment before pre-season preparations advance further, rather than any cooling of interest in Álvarez himself. For now, the transfer hinges less on transfer fees than on whether the striker chooses to force the issue publicly.