Shocking twist! Barça rules out Julián Álvarez: 'The favorite becomes a free agent in 2026'

Barça has been closely following Julián Álvarez for a long time. The Argentine has always been a player highly regarded by the club's sporting management and, especially, by Hansi Flick, who believes he would fit perfectly into his offensive system. However, Atleti is not willing to negotiate and his departure seems impossible for less than €120 million.

Deco knows that the Catalan club can't afford such a figure in the current context. Barça has improved its financial situation, but it's still far from being able to compete in major deals without putting financial stability at risk. For this reason, the club's board has decided to definitively abandon the pursuit of Julián Álvarez and look for a more realistic alternative.

Julián Álvarez moves away

In recent weeks, there has been a lot of talk about Julián Álvarez and FC Barcelona. However, Lucas Gatti has confirmed that the Argentine striker intends to stay at Atlético de Madrid. "Everything that's been said (about Barça) so far is a lie, they're fanciful speculations, he has a contract until 2030 and a €500 million release clause."

Therefore, it seems that the financial factor is the main reason keeping Julián Álvarez away from Barça. At €120 million, it was already a complicated deal, but after hearing Gatti mention €500 million, it becomes impossible. However, far from giving up, the Catalan team is already exploring new alternatives in the market.

Dusan Vlahovic enters the scene

Barça's priority remains to bring in a reliable number 9 for the 2026 project. With Robert Lewandowski in the final stage of his career, Hansi Flick wants a high-level replacement who can guarantee goals. In this regard, seeing that Julián Álvarez is unrealistic, the club has set its sights on Dusan Vlahovic.

The forward, currently at Juventus, is in a very interesting contractual situation. His contract with the Italian team ends in June 2026, and the lack of agreement on a renewal could make him a free agent next summer. In Turin, they haven't managed to reach an agreement with his camp, and Barça has already taken note of this.

According to sources close to the club, Deco considers Dusan Vlahovic an ideal market opportunity. He's a young, powerful striker with a different profile from Lewandowski, capable of providing attacking solutions both with his back to goal and in depth. In addition, his cost could be much lower than what negotiating for Julián Álvarez with Atlético would entail.

Dusan Vlahovic himself is said to have shown willingness to listen to Barça if he doesn't renew with Juventus. His dream has always been to succeed at a major European club, and wearing the Barça jersey would be a natural step in his career. Deco has already initiated the first contacts with his camp, seeking to secure an advantageous position ahead of the market.