The first reason is purely sporting. Atlético have slammed the door not just on Barcelona but on everyone. Gil Marín could not have been clearer: “We will not accept 100, 150 or 200 million for Julián,” and he stood firm on the astronomical release clause of 500 million euros.
Diego Simeone’s side have taken a qualitative leap this summer. In have come heavyweight names such as Cuti Romero, Hummels, Kang-in Lee and Grimaldo, alongside Arnau Ortiz.
The standout piece, though, is the one the trophy-chasing project is built on: the attack. As Cholo put it after the draw with Villarreal: “If we want to win a title, we need to be together and to have important forwards. We have that and we must keep it.”
The numbers back him up. Álvarez is today the third most expensive forward in the world at a value of 120 million euros according to Transfermarkt, behind only Haaland and Mbappé. Ten goals in the Champions League carried the team to the semi-finals despite an ankle injury, proof that he cannot be replaced in a crazy market where prices run 43% above true value.
There is no pressure to sell for the sake of financial fair play, and the Apollo fund has arrived to raise the ambition. Selling the star would be a step backwards.