Barça in transfer sprint: Gordon in, focus on Julián Álvarez - Atleti holds on to price above €100 million

FC Barcelona has made a flying start on the transfer market. The Catalan club acted quickly and effectively to sign Gordon, with technical manager Deco outsmarting rivals Liverpool and Bayern. With that first win, Barça is now setting its sights on Julián Álvarez, with the express wish to complete the deal before the upcoming World Cup in the United States. The idea: to prevent a strong tournament from increasing its price even further.

According to those involved, an agreement in principle is on the table between the player's entourage and Barça and there is the feeling on several sides that no one benefits from a drawn-out soap opera. However, Atlético Madrid, which wants clarity quickly in order to implement its further market plan, is initially holding the Argentinian striker to a valuation above €100 million. Paris Saint-Germain is watching in the background, although the player would prefer a move to Barça or a longer stay in Madrid over a transfer to France.


A new round of negotiations is expected in the coming days, in what is developing into a fascinating dossier. Remarkable: Álvarez was voted MVP of the season by Atlético supporters, even though it was reportedly not his best year in football. There is a belief within Barça that he can excel and score many goals under Hansi Flick's game model. With Gordon and Álvarez as attacking reinforcements, Barcelona wants to go for the highest European prizes.

The names of Kane (Bayern) and Joao Pedro (Chelsea) also appear in the blaugrana's list of alternatives. Realism is a requirement: the German club has effectively boarded up Kane, while Chelsea considers the Brazilian non-negotiable for Xabi Alonso's new team. This means that the focus at Camp Nou seems to be all the more on Álvarez.

The transfer window is long, but Barcelona deliberately wants to shorten the turnaround time. This requires tough positions and negotiations at a faster pace than usual. The first hurdle – the arrival of Gordon, who is expected to catch on quickly at the Camp Nou – offers peace and confidence. At the same time, Barça has become adept at last-minute deals in recent years and will use all means of pressure. The transfer sprint has begun.