According to sources, despite Atlético Madrid striker Álvarez's desire to force a transfer to Barcelona, he will not do so in an excessively aggressive manner.

Barcelona has entered the decisive phase of Álvarez's transfer. After weeks, even months, of communication with intermediaries and presenting a €100 million offer to Atlético Madrid's board, only to face the *Rojiblancos'* unwavering refusal to enter any negotiations, the Argentine striker has decided to take new measures to break the deadlock and facilitate his move to Camp Nou.

Sources close to the deal told *Sport* that at a recent summit meeting in Madrid, Álvarez and his team informed Barcelona's sporting director Deco that he was willing to pressure Atlético Madrid. This was not an improvised decision, but the next step jointly agreed upon by both parties over recent weeks in response to Atlético Madrid's firm refusal to engage in dialogue.

However, the Argentine international wants to maintain his professionalism throughout. Starting this Monday, he has been training according to the physical conditioning plan established by Atlético Madrid's coaching staff. He will return to the squad on time, on August 10 (when his teammates will have just returned from Korea), without any delays or acts of defiance. At that moment, upon returning to Atlético Madrid's training center, he will directly inform the club's board that his desire to leave and join Barcelona this summer remains unchanged.

During the Copa América, he explicitly stated his desire for a transfer to fulfill his "dream," a statement that displeased Atlético Madrid at the time. Therefore, the player and his team do not want to create further conflict. The Argentine will make a private request and will not make gestures or public statements to the outside world, as his ultimate goal is not to provoke antagonism between the clubs, but to get Atlético Madrid to at least agree to sit down and negotiate.

Álvarez understands that since all mediation attempts so far have failed to change Atlético Madrid's stance, it is time for him to express his position personally. He will clearly assert his determination to play only for Barcelona, which should raise serious questions for Atlético Madrid's leadership: if the player's heart is no longer here, is it worth forcing him to stay for another season?

The decision will then fall to Atlético Madrid's CEO Gil Marín and the sporting department led by Mateu Alemany, who will need to evaluate whether it is worth forcing a player who has expressed privately and publicly his desire to join Barcelona to remain.

Barcelona still believes that the player's own desires, combined with the limited time remaining before the start of official matches and the transfer window closing, could open a door that was previously completely shut.

Meanwhile, Barcelona will stick to the roadmap agreed with the striker's team. The current offer remains at €100 million, as previously agreed by both parties. However, if Atlético Madrid agrees to negotiate after the Argentine's request, Barcelona would be willing to increase their offer to try to narrow the gap. No new specific figures are on the table yet, and while Barcelona needs a striker, they will not make reckless moves. The offer will be increased to allow all parties to conclude the deal honorably.

In any case, the Camp Nou offices have made clear this will be the final attempt. If even Álvarez's explicit request cannot change Atlético Madrid's stance, Barcelona will completely end this operation and fully adjust its plans for striker signings.

In fact, Barcelona's board (and the club has also indicated this) has been preparing alternative options for several weeks. Plan B is already well underway, awaiting only the final outcome of the Álvarez situation. If the Argentine's final push still proves ineffective, the club will activate the alternative option to secure the striker requested by Flick before the transfer window closes.

Traduzido por IA.

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