Deco explains why Barcelona failed to sign Julian Alvarez

Barcelona sporting director Deco has addressed the situation surrounding the failed pursuit of Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez during the recent summer transfer window. According to the executive, the Catalan club submitted a formal offer to the Madrid side, but it was promptly rejected.

We made an adequate offer to Atletico Madrid, but we received no response. They simply did not want to sell the player. You cannot insist on the same thing indefinitely. Deco

Deco also clarified that the club did not apply any pressure on the Argentine to publicly express a desire to leave the Madrid camp, emphasizing that any such decision remained entirely in the player's hands.

In the current 2026/27 season, the 26-year-old has made three appearances for Atletico Madrid across all competitions, providing one assist. His current contract with the club runs until the summer of 2030.