Barcelona submit €100m opening bid for Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez

Barcelona have submitted a formal €100m offer to Atletico Madrid for striker Julian Alvarez, ending more than a year of speculation and confirming their pursuit of a long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski.

The bid, reported by Fabrizio Romano and El Chiringuito on 29 May 2026, is a cash-only offer. An initial expectation that Barcelona might include players in the deal came to nothing after Ferran Torres reportedly rejected the idea of being used as part of any package. Both outlets describe the €100m figure as an opening position rather than a final offer.

Atletico Madrid have set a €150m asking price and have made no secret of their preference to sell to a non-Spanish rival. Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain have both been identified as more commercially palatable destinations from the Madrid club’s perspective. Their frustration with Barcelona’s prolonged and public courtship of Alvarez has been well documented.

The situation has been complicated further by Alvarez himself. The Argentina international has reportedly communicated directly to Atletico that he wants to leave the club this summer, and that Barcelona is his priority destination. That stance leaves Atletico in a difficult position — facing the prospect of selling a key player to a domestic competitor at a discount to his stated valuation.

PSG had already moved before Barcelona’s formal approach. El Chiringuito reported that the French champions submitted an offer of €120m plus two players, which Atletico rejected — a decision made before Alvarez had publicly expressed his desire to leave. PSG are said to be willing to offer Alvarez €22m net per season, matching the salary of their highest-paid player, Ousmane Dembélé.

Whether Alvarez, who is reported to be settled in Madrid, would be willing to relocate to Paris or London if Barcelona cannot meet Atletico’s valuation remains unclear. For now, the gap between Barcelona’s opening bid and Atletico’s asking price stands at €50m, and negotiations are at an early stage.