Atletico Madrid threatens Barcelona with FIFA complaint over Julian Alvarez transfer
Atletico Madrid's stance on the Julian Alvarez transfer saga has lifted La Liga's summer transfer window to a new phase. According to an ESPN report on Tuesday, Atletico CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin said the club was "furious" that Barcelona had advanced contacts with Alvarez without the knowledge of his current club and has threatened to file a complaint with FIFA.
Argentine striker Alvarez moved to Atletico Madrid from Manchester City in the middle of last season for a fee of 65 million euros. That was one of the largest transfer fees in the club's history and was positioned as the cornerstone of the forward line that Diego Simeone maintains. Alvarez scored 18 La Liga goals last season.
The point Gil Marin underlined in his ESPN statement is that Barcelona's contacts breached club-to-club communication rules. FIFA rules prohibit transfer negotiations with a player without the written permission of the player's current club. The Atletico chief said: "This is a clear violation of the rules of inter-club respect; if necessary, we will not hesitate to apply to FIFA."
Barcelona did not issue an official response. ESPN's sources reported that, while Barcelona has not made a concrete offer for Alvarez, the club has had indirect contacts with the player's representatives. These contacts created an impression that Alvarez could move to another club this summer.
Alvarez's annual salary is approximately 12 million euros. His contract runs to 2029 and the release clause in the contract is set at no less than 220 million euros. That figure is regarded as a strategic release clause designed to ensure Atletico is not forced into a sale.
Barcelona's financial situation has been a frequent topic since 2023. The club has taken cost-cutting steps in recent years to comply with La Liga's "economic fair play" rules; covering Alvarez's salary, however, would likely require a sale. One of the prime sale candidates remains Frenkie de Jong.
Diego Simeone told ESPN in a post-match interview "I am sure Julian will be with us again next year." Simeone said he and Alvarez had a brief conversation on the same evening of the match and that the player was happy at Atletico. However, a head coach does not have the authority to issue a definitive guarantee on such a matter.
La Liga president Javier Tebas, maintaining his stance through transfer dramas, said "clubs have an obligation to comply with the economic fair play rules." Tebas avoided a direct comment on the tension between Barcelona and Atletico but underlined La Liga's oversight role during transfer activity.
If a filing is prepared before the FIFA Court of Arbitration for Sport, the estimated duration of the process is 8 to 12 months. Atletico's actually filing the case is being viewed as a last resort for breaking the deadlock on the transfer front. A more likely scenario is that direct club-to-club talks could start in the coming weeks.
Alvarez's stance is critical to the trajectory of the transfer drama. According to ESPN, the 24-year-old Argentine striker is "open" to staying at Atletico but would also not be uncomfortable playing for a club competing for the Champions League title. Atletico reached the Champions League semi-final last season.
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