Julian Alvarez to Barcelona now ‘99% off’ – here’s why

Barcelona's pursuit of Julian Alvarez appears to have faltered, with the Argentine forward's dream move to Camp Nou now reportedly off the table. Despite the player's clear desire to join the Blaugrana, talks with Atletico Madrid have hit a dead end. The negotiations have seemingly reached a point where neither side is willing to budge.

According to Jose Alvarez of El Chiringuito TV, the transfer is now "99 per cent off the table". The main issue appears to be ego, rather than money, as highlighted by the journalist. Alvarez is now waiting for Atletico CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin to intervene, but there seems to be little hope of a breakthrough. The Argentine has publicly expressed his desire to play for Barcelona, but Alvarez is not planning to escalate the situation further.

Barcelona has already made an offer worth around €100 million, but Atletico Madrid has not responded. The situation is becoming increasingly difficult for the Catalan club, who identified Alvarez as a major target and agreed on personal terms. However, the inability to convince Atletico Madrid to sell has proven difficult. Unless there is a sudden change in Gil Marin's position or Atletico softens their stance, Barcelona may have to accept that their pursuit of Julian Alvarez is over.