At the start of the season, Julian Álvarez’s red-hot form has once again caught the attention of all Barcelona fans—including club president Joan Laporta. Laporta has long had a soft spot for the Argentine forward ever since he played for Manchester City; as early as the summer of 2024, Barcelona had already shown interest in Álvarez.
However, during that summer transfer window, the Argentine ultimately joined Atlético Madrid. At the time, Barcelona had full confidence in Robert Lewandowski and could not afford Álvarez’s hefty transfer fee. The situation is completely different now: the Polish striker’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, and Barcelona is determined to compete with other top European giants through a blockbuster signing. It has been revealed that the club has named Álvarez as its top target for next summer’s transfer window.
Salary Cap Relief and Player’s Willingness
Signing the Atlético forward poses significant financial challenges, but Barcelona holds several favorable factors. One of them is that if Lewandowski leaves, Barcelona will save his €26 million pre-tax annual salary. Additionally, the player’s amortization costs will also be eliminated, freeing up a total of €38.5 million in salary cap space—provided the club complies with the 1:1 Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. On the other hand, Álvarez’s childhood idol is none other than Lionel Messi, and this was confirmed by his agent Fernando Hidalgo in a podcast on June 5th: “Many Argentine kids develop an affection for Barcelona because of Messi, and Álvarez is no exception.”
€500 Million Release Clause: Negotiations Will Be Extremely Difficult
Any negotiations between Barcelona and Atlético Madrid will not be easy, as “Los Colchoneros” (Atlético’s nickname) have come out on top in several transactions in recent years. Álvarez’s contract runs until 2030, with a release clause as high as €500 million; moreover, Atlético faces no financial pressure and has no intention of letting go of the core star they have heavily invested in over the past two years. Barcelona believes Atlético is unlikely to accept any offer below €200 million.
Haaland Remains a Backup Option
Although Laporta has made Álvarez his top priority, Barcelona has not ruled out making an approach for Erling Haaland. It is worth remembering that 2025 is the club’s presidential election year, and the current president will utilize all available resources to sign a superstar who can ignite the passion of fans.
