The saga surrounding Julian Alvarez took a dramatic turn late Tuesday when Real Madrid announced that Atletico Madrid had rejected a €150 million offer for the forward.
Atletico Madrid swiftly responded with vigor to Real Madrid’s public confirmation of their rejected bid for the Argentine striker.
Meanwhile, Barcelona watched from the sidelines, rumored to be Alvarez’s preferred choice.
Julian is Not for Sale
However, the prospects for both Barcelona and Real Madrid acquiring Alvarez seem dim, as Atletico president Enrique Cerezo has stated unequivocally that the player is off the market.
“Julian is not for sale,” Cerezo firmly declared in an interview with El Chiringuito, making Atletico’s stance unmistakably clear to both rival clubs eyeing the player.
Atletico did not stop there; the club took to social media to deliver a defiant and scornful reply to Real Madrid’s statement, featuring laughing emojis followed by a pointed official response.
Atletico’s Social Media Response
“Official statement with our clarifications on the official statement from our neighbors Real Madrid: 1. The Pope’s video was cut off where he said he was also an Atleti fan.
Julian Alvarez is not for sale. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
2. You may have confused education with gratitude, but just to clarify: we do not owe you anything. 3. We are not considering any offers for Julian. 4. How can we not get along when you provide us with laughter even more than Barcelona does?”
A additional message soon followed, targeting Real Madrid’s recruitment practices. “Taking advantage of the good relationship with your new president, perhaps it’s time to stop ‘borrowing’ players from our Academy. Thank you very much, Real Madrid.”
Atletico emphasizes Alvarez’s release clause of €500 million, an amount set to deter any potential transfers.
The club maintains that the striker is not for sale, regardless of any incoming offers from Real Madrid or Barcelona.
Barcelona, on their part, find themselves unable to meet such a hefty price tag, reportedly only prepared to offer up to €120 million.