u/ultraopulent

Ajax are looking for an experienced goalkeeper. One of the positions they need to strengthen is goalkeeper, and Ter Stegen's name has surfaced . According to several local media outlets, the Barcelona goalkeeper is one of the profiles being considered by the Amsterdam club's technical staff. His experience, leadership, and footwork are a perfect fit for Ajax's philosophy and also for Míchel's style, who would be delighted to reunite with the goalkeeper he brought to Girona in January.

>FC Barcelona did indeed send a formal offer to Atlético Madrid, as *Mundo Deportivo* was able to confirm through highly credible sources within the *Azulgrana* club. These sources indicate that the club is approaching the attempt to sign the Argentine player as just another standard transfer operation—and is acting accordingly. Hence, an initial proposal of €100 million for Álvarez was sent via email. The recipient was Mateu Alemany, Atlético Madrid’s top sporting executive. News of the offer was first reported by journalist Fabrizio Romano last Friday, only to be denied by Atlético, which circulated its own version of events to various media outlets, claiming it was "yet another lie" emanating from FC Barcelona. However, the offer did exist, and—in the interest of fairness—this must be acknowledged, particularly since the original report was drowned out by the deluge of posts on X (formerly Twitter) and official statements released by Atlético on Friday. Now, it remains to be seen whether or not the *Rojiblanco* club chooses to respond to it—whichever course of action best suits their interests.

The *Azulgrana* organization has no desire for controversy, nor do they wish to engage in a public war of statements and counter-statements accusing Atlético of lying—a move that would carry the risk of provoking yet another public rebuttal from the Madrid-based club. Instead, Barça aims to handle the situation in a professional and dispassionate manner, recognizing it as merely another routine market scenario—the kind that every club faces every season.

In any case, Barça confirms that a proposal was indeed submitted, given the club's keen interest in Julián. Atlético’s aggressive stance—characterized by references to the "Negreira case," comments regarding the registration of players like Olmo and Pau Víctor, and the unauthorized use of images of Barça players on their official X account—has not gone down well at the *Azulgrana* club. Quite the opposite. Nevertheless, the club has no intention of contributing to any further distraction from the core issue. And the core issue remains this: Julián Álvarez wants to leave the *Rojiblanco* club to join FC Barcelona—a desire he has already conveyed to Atlético through his agent, Fernando Hidalgo. Hidalgo is an agent currently being singled out for criticism by Atlético, yet he is doing nothing more than carrying out the specific instructions given to him by his client. An Hidalgo who met with Barça last Wednesday at the Hotel Torre Melina of his own volition—and who went to great lengths to remain unseen, although *Mundo Deportivo* revealed the encounter the very next day. An agent who has already conveyed to Atlético his client's desire to leave this summer, as the player seeks a more ambitious project and finds Barça's proposal highly appealing.

In short, the real issue for Atlético lies with Julián himself—a fact that has become abundantly clear every time the Argentine striker has cast doubt on his future at the club, despite being under contract until 2030. Álvarez has been asked about Barcelona and a potential departure on no fewer than three occasions: in November, during an interview with *L’Équipe*; in March of this year, after scoring a brace against Tottenham in the Champions League; and in late April, prior to the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Arsenal. On none of these occasions did he close the door on leaving this summer, nor did he rule out a move to the *Azulgrana* club.

It is, of course, Atlético's prerogative to refuse to sell—invoking both his contract running until 2030 and the much-discussed €500 million release clause. However, the undeniable fact remains that an offer from Barça was indeed submitted, and that this offer was endorsed by the player himself through his representative. At the very least, the *Culés* expect a response that adheres to the standard protocols and professional norms of the football transfer market. Regarding the other grievances raised, sources at the Camp Nou have little to add. Any contact made with Julián was solely to gauge whether he was open to hearing about Barcelona's interest—much in the same way that "Cholo" Simeone repeatedly called him in 2024 while he was still at Manchester City, attempting to persuade him to join Atlético despite his active contract with the English club. As Julián himself subsequently acknowledged, such actions fall entirely within the accepted logic of the football world.

According to the sources consulted, the remaining issues of which Atlético complains can no longer be attributed to the *Azulgrana* club. If an Argentine media outlet reports that Julián is looking for a home in Barcelona, ​​the *Azulgrana* club immediately distances itself from the matter—precisely because it has sought to avoid any noise surrounding Julián in recent months, given the double clash in the Copa del Rey and Champions League against *Los Colchoneros* and the risk of being accused of destabilization. Nor does it constitute an official club directive if journalists happen to ask Enrique Cerezo about the player during a visit to Barcelona. By the same token, Atlético is not presumed to be responsible for attempting to destabilize Chelsea or Wolverhampton simply because press reports surface linking the *Rojiblanco* club to Marc Cucurella or João Gomes. The same applies to the reports stating that Mateu Alemany met with the agent of Marc Bernal, a Barça player. Furthermore, neither Laporta, nor Deco, nor Flick has spoken publicly about Julián Álvarez.