Barcelona‘s Dani Olmo says he doesn’t understand Atlético Madrid’s refusal to negotiate a deal for Julián Álvarez with the Spanish champions.
Barça bid north of €100 million ($116m) for Álvarez — who told ESPN in June of his desire to move clubs — earlier this summer but Atlético knocked the offer back and refused to engage in talks with the Catalan side.
Atlético CEO Miguel Ángel Gil Marín said last week he would “never” transfer Álvarez to Barça after reporting them to FIFA and the Royal Spanish Football Federation for allegedly illegally approaching the Argentina forward.
“I don’t understand it [Atlético’s stance],” Olmo said at an event in his hometown of Terrassa on Wednesday.
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“We all have our dreams. Julián was clear in that respect. He clearly fought for his dreams, but at end of day there are external situations you can’t control and in that sense there is no need to say anything else.”
Barça made six first team signings this summer, including forwards Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi and Gabriel Jesus, but Álvarez had been their top target throughout the transfer window.
Sources told ESPN he wanted to join Barça, too, and he even turned down Arsenal‘s advances in the hope of eventually securing a move to Spotify Camp Nou.
As recently as last week Barça president Joan Laporta said the club still hoped to land Álvarez, but they turned to Brazil striker Jesus on Tuesday to complete their attack after it became clear Atlético would not budge.
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“As I have said, life goes on, this doesn’t stop,” Olmo added. “We hope to have a really good season with the competition we have in the squad because we have signed well.”
Jesus joined this week in a deal worth an initial €10 million ($11.6m) after coach Hansi Flick pushed Barça to sign a No. 9 following the loss or Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres this summer.
However, the club remain in the market for a striker in the long-term, with Álvarez still viewed as a target. “There will be more transfer windows,” a club source said.
Álvarez, meanwhile, is back in training with Atlético after missing several days of work last week as well as Saturday’s win at Sevilla.
He was fiercely jeered on his only appearance so far this season, a 2-2 draw at the Metropolitano against Villarreal on Aug. 23.
Coach Diego Simeone now has the chance to ease him back into the team with three away games in a row after the transfer window closed with Álvarez still at the club.
Atlético travel to Athletic Club, Liverpool and Real Sociedad before their next home match, against Osasuna on Sept. 16.
