"He's going through his best moment since he's been at Atleti, in terms of consistency, because he gives us a lot of things with his diagonal runs, holding the ball up, scoring important goals, having chances in almost every game. "We need that player. The cross was not one of the best, but Alex improved it, and it was a good header to make it a great goal."
Although the season is only at its halfway point, the sporting department of FC Barcelona is already working on shaping the squad for next season. No final decisions have been taken yet, but a clear roadmap has been drawn up regarding the attacking unit. As has already been reported, Barça intend to retain Marcus Rashford's services beyond this season. The Catalans have a €30 million purchase option for the Manchester United loanee, although they might look to negotiate a lower fee.
The Argentina international has shone during his time in La Liga after also impressing in a stint in the Premier League with Manchester City, even though he wasn't first choice there. Alvarez has gone on to score 40 goals in 83 games since moving to Atletico, and there has been talk of interest from Liverpool, as per Football Insider, and also from Chelsea, as per Fichajes.
Chelsea are hoping to sign him for the next season, and they are preparing 150 million to sign the World Cup winner. They are prepared to smash the Premier League transfer record in order to get the deal done, as per Fichajes. They are also hoping that Enzo Fernandez can help convince the player to join the club. It remains to be seen whether the South American midfielder can play a role in convincing his compatriot to join the club.
The Blaugrana are already planning for the post-Robert Lewandowski era, with the Polish striker's contract set to expire in 2026 and no talks of renewal currently taking place. The club's sporting department, led by Deco, wants to bring in a player who can be part of the long-term project under Hansi Flick rather than a short-term fix, and Alvarez fits that profile perfectly.
Julián Álvarez scored twice as Atlético Madrid routed fierce rivals Real Madrid 5-2 in a thrilling Madrid derby on Saturday. Álvarez's performance served as sweet redemption after his controversial double-kick penalty contributed to Atlético losing to Madrid in last season's Champions League. The Argentina striker stole the show from Kylian Mbappé, who scored as Madrid went to a 2-1 lead.
Alvarez's agents are expected to meet Bayern Munich, Arsenal, and Liverpool next week amid rumors of his potential departure from Atletico Madrid.