Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal has expressed enthusiasm about the potential arrival of Atlético Madrid’s Julián Álvarez, stating he would welcome him “with open arms” at Barcelona next season.
Atlético Madrid is reportedly displeased with Barcelona’s interest in their Argentine star, with CEO Miguel Ángel Marín accusing the Catalan club of “disrespecting” Atlético through their pursuit.
Álvarez, who indicated last week he wishes to leave Atlético, has not specified his preferred destination. However, sources suggest that Barcelona is his intended choice, while Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, and Real Madrid—who recently had a €150 million (£171m) bid for him rejected—are also showing interest.
“I’m not dwelling on it too much, but I’d be thrilled, as [Álvarez] is an exceptional player,” Yamal stated in an interview with Cadena SER. “If he joins us, he’ll be welcomed with open arms… I’d encourage him to do it because we’ll be waiting for him.”
Yamal, 18, is currently representing Spain in the World Cup, with the team traveling from their base in Chattanooga to Los Angeles ahead of their round of 32 clash against Austria.
Recovering from injury prior to the tournament, the winger has been gradually integrated into the squad during the group stage under coach Luis de la Fuente.
“I’m learning a lot,” Yamal remarked regarding his World Cup experience. “International play differs from club football. I’m acquiring experience and figuring out how to handle my recovery… I feel fantastic now and am eager for Thursday’s match.”
Spain’s journey began with a 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, followed by a dominant 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia and a 1-0 victory against Uruguay, allowing them to advance as group winners.
“It’s true that expectations were high for us to perform better, but we faced various styles of teams, none of which were European,” Yamal said. “The matches were tough, especially the last one, with numerous stoppages. We played well against Saudi Arabia, and the opener against Cape Verde was solid.”
“I wouldn’t say we’ve reached our peak performance yet… but once we find our rhythm, which we definitely will, we will become nearly unstoppable.”
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Reflecting on the tournament, Yamal, a member of Spain’s Euro 2024 winning team, was asked about players and teams that have impressed him.
“[Lionel] Messi, of course,” he replied. “Everybody knows who he is, but I didn’t anticipate such a level of performance. I’m also impressed by [Vinícius Júnior] and [Ismael] Saibari. Morocco has caught my attention, as well as the Ivory Coast; I really enjoyed watching Japan and Argentina, especially because of Messi… France also has talented players, and I’ve liked what I’ve seen from Ecuador.”