According to Sergi de Juan, a Barcelona correspondent for Diario AS, the transfer market has not officially opened yet, but Barcelona's sports management has been holding consecutive meetings to evaluate different upcoming operations. This summer window is expected to be long, and Barcelona hopes to further strengthen the team's offense in addition to bringing in Anthony Gordon. For Deco, after reaching a consensus with Flick, improving the frontline strength is an absolute priority, especially after the team lost Lewandowski.
Barcelona has not forgotten its top target, which is Atletico Madrid forward Alvarez. Deco is well aware of the reasons; Alvarez can be a focal point in the attack, can move to the wings, can combine with teammates, and also has the ability to press, which is something Flick values highly.
When asked about Alvarez a few days ago, Deco said: "Let's see, let's see." For now, this potential deal seems to be "frozen," but in reality, the pressure game surrounding the player has already begun, and more than one party is involved.
Alvarez has expressed his desire to leave to Atletico Madrid, and his priority is to join Barcelona. Atletico Madrid's current stance remains very firm, insisting that they do not want to let the player go, and even attacked Barcelona on social media to make their position clear. Atletico Madrid stated that Alvarez is not for sale, and they have not received any offer from Barcelona for the player. However, multiple sources indicate that a €100 million offer for Alvarez has been clearly communicated to Alemany. In addition, Atletico Madrid also hinted that if they do eventually sell the player, they would sell him to any team other than Barcelona.
In addition to Barcelona, Arsenal is also competing for Alvarez, while Paris Saint-Germain has withdrawn from the race. Real Madrid's involvement was somewhat unexpected; they officially publicly offered €150 million for Alvarez, but this offer has been rejected by Atletico Madrid. Atletico Madrid also took the opportunity to mock their city rivals on social media.
Real Madrid's sudden entry into the competition did not surprise Barcelona too much, and Barcelona remains patient. They believe that Real Madrid's move is an attempt to disrupt this potential deal, and it is also further proof of Real Madrid's excessive attention to Barcelona's every move. In this transfer, Barcelona knows that once the player expresses unease about his future at the club, the existing balance of power may be broken. Barcelona knows that this deal will not be simple, but they also view this situation as an opportunity to apply pressure.
Barcelona's strategy is to continue to wait, while also keeping other options open, such as Chelsea forward João Pedro. This summer has just begun, but various movements, signals, and wars of attrition are gradually emerging, which is a common scene before major transfers.