Everything changes with what Laporta has found out about Julián Álvarez: Barça doesn't know what to do

At FC Barcelona nothing is hidden anymore, the interest in Julián Álvarez is real, deep, and strategic. This is not a simple market monitoring exercise, but a considered bet that leads the sporting roadmap for next summer. In the club offices they are sure: he is the ideal striker to lead the new project.

The great unknown lies in the economic context. Barça is working with the forecast of returning to the 1-1 rule, a scenario that would allow it to operate with ambition again. If that objective is met, the sporting management would be willing to move decisively for the Argentine forward, fully aware that this is a high-impact operation.

A priority without internal debate

Inside the club there is no discussion, Julián Álvarez is the profile that best fits the footballing idea that they want to implement. It is not only because of his scoring ability, but also because of his mobility, his intensity without the ball, and his intelligence to read different attacking roles. At Barça they consider him a complete striker.

His versatility, his work rate, and his ability to link up with teammates place him ahead of any other alternative. Although the market offers attractive names, "La Araña" still occupies first place. The problem is not sporting, the dilemma appears when the club analyzes the obstacles surrounding the operation.

Atlético and the competition change everything

The main brake is Atlético de Madrid. Julián Álvarez is a key piece for the rojiblancos, who do not have any urgency to sell. Taking him out of the Spanish capital would involve a tough, lengthy negotiation with very high figures, similar to, or higher than, major Barça operations in the past.

In addition, Barça already knows that it is not alone. Clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain or Chelsea FC are following the Argentine's situation very closely. Although he is going through a modest scoring spell, his international reputation has not dropped and the competition is beginning to generate doubts in the culé planning.

Laporta faced with an uncomfortable decision

From Atlético, the message is clear. Their president, Enrique Cerezo, has made it clear that they count on the player and that there is no contact with other clubs. Julián has a contract until 2030 and a release clause of 500 million euros, a figure that is totally off the market.

That is where everything changes, at Barça they know that only an explicit desire from the player could open the door to a real negotiation. Laporta has found that the scenario is much more complex than expected: high price, fierce competition, and an inflexible Atlético. Julián Álvarez is still the priority… but now Barça hesitates, calculates, and asks itself whether it will be able to go all the way without putting its fragile balance at risk.