
Julian Alvarez is reportedly considering making a bombshell gesture to force Atletico Madrid to sell him this summer.
With the World Cup currently ongoing across North America, it's easy to forget that there is still plenty of transfer business to happen over the summer.
Although the Premier League transfer window is already open, allowing Liverpool to secure a shock deal for Victor Munoz, the window is not yet open for many other European leagues.
The transfer window for LaLiga and Bundesliga clubs opens on July 1, while in Serie A the market begins on June 29.
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Despite this, rumours linking several of the biggest players in Europe with major moves have been circulating for weeks.
One of the most notable transfer sagas of the window so far centres around Atletico Madrid striker Alvarez, with Real Madrid reportedly desperate to sign the former Man City star.
On June 9, Real submitted a bid of €150million for Alvarez, with Atletico Madrid immediately declining while releasing a bizarre statement lashing out at their La Liga rivals.
However, it has now been reported that, following his participation in Argentina's campaign to defend their World Cup title, Alvarez could take things to his own hands in order to force Atletico to let him leave this summer, but not for Real Madrid.
As per Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Alvarez now only has eyes for one club other than his current one, Barcelona, and could release a public endorsement of the move to allow the move to happen.
The report claims that the 26-year-old and his agent, Fernando Hidalgo, are carefully weighing their next moves following his agent's meeting with Deco , Barcelona's director of football.
As it stands, Alvarez's contract with Atletico Madrid runs until 2030, meaning they hold all the cards should they decide to keep the striker.
In order to tip the scales in Barcelona's favour, the report adds that Alvarez could appear in the mixed zone following any of Argentina's World Cup matches, including their clash with Austria, to make his intentions clear.
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But the forward is acutely aware that, if he is to do so, he would have to ensure that it is not done at the expense of his national team, as he doesn't want to take the attention away from their World Cup campaign.
With that in mind, it could be more likely that, if he is to make a public statement, it will be after a big victory in the early stages of the competition, where his news may be more accepted.
How much will Barcelona pay for Julian Alvarez?
Given the fact that Atletico Madrid have already very publicly declined a massive €150m offer for Alvarez from Real Madrid, Barcelona in a difficult situation as they are reportedly unwilling to spend as much as that figure.
However, Barcelona believe that Alvarez will soon speak out to help facilitate the move, with a public saga and pressure from the inside helping facilitate a deal at a more palatable price tag.
Even if Alvarez speaks out before the end of the World Cup, it is believed that negotiations could drag on throughout the summer.
Topics: Julian Alvarez, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Transfer News, FIFA World Cup