Barcelona respond to Arsenal’s Julian Alvarez move as Laporta confirms major transfer offer

13 Jul 2026 10:53 BST | 5 min read

Julian Alvarez, Joan Laporta, Barcelona — © IMAGO

Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

Accredited football journalist and editor covering the game since 2006

Make us your Google favourite

Barcelona are braced for a Julian Alvarez transfer battle with Arsenal as the race for the Atletico Madrid forward’s signature heats up.

Article continues under the video

Alvarez proved decisive for Argentina in their World Cup quarter-final with Switzerland as he curled home a brilliant extra-time shot in a 3-1 win in a moment that appears to have been a catalyst to reignite the transfer battle for him that began before the competition started.

Real Madrid made public that they had a €150 million bid for the 26-year-old rejected, while Atleti publicly mocked an offer the Catalan side put on the table.

Current ETV

Julián Álvarez

F (C)

Atlético Madrid

Julián Álvarez

F (C)

Atlético Madrid

ETV Range

€93.4M - €114.1M

Arsenal have yet to make their move but are stepping up their efforts to sign the Argentine, while PSG’s previous interest appears to have faded, setting up a fascinating battle in the weeks to come.

Indeed, with the Premier League side growing increasingly keen on Alvarez, Barcelona have reacted with a statement of intent.

Laporta confirms Alvarez bid

Barcelona president Joan Laporta confirmed to the media when arriving for Spain’s World Cup semi-final with France in Dallas that the offer is still valid and that it is for a “substantial” fee.

“We’ll see about signing him,” he said.

“Obviously, we're not going to dance to anyone's tune; we'll set the pace,” Laporta told the media when

“Our bid was made with the intention of signing the player, who is liked by both the sporting director and the coach. I think he’s a fantastic player.

“Our substantial offer is still on the table, but it won’t be there forever.”

© IMAGO - Julian Alvarez, Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid mocked Barca’s offer on their social media channels when news of the bid broke, but Laporta is insistent that he has a strong relationship with their president and that he has been in contact with him over the deal.

“I was speaking with Miguel Angel Gil, and as always we spoke very clearly and amicably. I understand that we have a very good relationship with them,” he said.

“There was some initial confusion regarding the offer we made. I clarified it, I understand, and we haven't pressured them further.”

Barcelona loan could fund Alvarez deal

Reports from Spain indicate that Alvarez is Barcelona’s top target and is willing to push for a move to Camp Nou, yet Atleti’s insistence that the player will not leave severely complicates matters.

Barca, however, have struck a deal for a loan worth more than €200 million that could potentially unblock the situation if they are willing to invest heavily in the attacker, yet Arsenal’s finances are undoubtedly stronger and suggest that they still have a major role to play in any transfer race.

Laporta confirms Adeyemi arrival and says Raphinha will not leave

If a deal for Alvarez remains live but unresolved, Laporta has confirmed that Borussia Dortmund winger Karim Adeyemi will sign for the club.

“We are very excited about Adeyemi. We've liked him for a while. He's dangerous and fast, and Deco handled the signing very well. The news came out when it was meant to,” he said.

Similarly, Laporta knocked back rumours that Raphinha could leave for the Saudi Pro League.

“Raphinha will stay. We have no interest in him leaving Barca. He’s a key player,” Laporta said. “With Gordon and Adeyemi, we’re strengthening the attack, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to let Raphinha go, as he’s crucial for us.

“It’s a shame that last season he couldn’t be at his best in the final stages of La Liga, the Champions League, and the Copa del Rey. The results would have been different.”

Barcelona’s transfer plans for the summer are clear, but while their bid for Alvarez remains on the table, their ability to sign him hangs in the balance.