Gil Marín rules out Barcelona talks for Álvarez as Atlético-Barça feud turns personal

Atlético Madrid’s chief executive Miguel Ángel Gil Marín issued a blistering public rejection of Barcelona’s pursuit of Julián Álvarez on Thursday, declaring that Los Rojiblancos would not negotiate with their La Liga rivals “under any circumstances” before the summer window closes on Tuesday.

The intervention came a day after Barcelona president Joan Laporta publicly confirmed his club’s “very strong interest” in the Argentina forward, only for Gil Marín to insist Atlético’s board of directors had unanimously backed a position of zero engagement with Barça. The stance holds even as Álvarez himself has made his desire to leave known, and despite being booed by Atleti supporters during Sunday’s 2-2 home draw with Villarreal.

Gil Marín’s language went well beyond a commercial refusal to sell. Speaking to Movistar Plus, he accused Barcelona of conducting their approach in bad faith. “The truth is that it outrages us even more; we are repulsed by the dishonesty, the lack of ethics, transparency and professionalism, and we can only insist that we will not negotiate with Barcelona under any circumstances,” he said.

Barcelona vice-president Rafa Yuste responded sharply to the remarks. “It is a lack of manners and respect,” Yuste told the same broadcaster. “With those words, they’ve crossed a red line.”

The saga has its roots in comments Álvarez made earlier this summer while on international duty with Argentina, when he said he wanted to “fulfil my dream” by leaving Atlético — a statement that set the dispute in motion and subsequently drew RFEF disciplinary scrutiny over how Barcelona’s approach was handled.

Gil Marín was explicit that his personal preference is for Álvarez to remain at the club beyond Tuesday’s deadline. “Our intention and my personal dream is for him to stay with us, to remain at Atlético,” he said. “If he believes that staying at Atlético is no longer feasible, we will look for an alternative, but it will never, ever be Barcelona.”

Arsenal have also been linked with a move for the former Manchester City forward, and Gil Marín’s comments leave open the possibility of a deal with another club if Álvarez concludes his future at the Metropolitano is untenable. However, nothing in Atlético’s public position indicates any negotiation is imminent before the window shuts.