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Atletico Madrid have taken a firm position in the summer’s most high-profile transfer saga by formally stopping Julian Alvarez’s move to Barcelona. The club’s board of directors released a strongly worded statement on Thursday, effectively bringing talks with their La Liga rivals to an end after what they described as a lack of professional conduct.

Atletico issue strong official statement

The long-running friction between two of Spanish football’s biggest clubs reached breaking point on Thursday as Atletico officially pulled out of all discussions with Barcelona over the sale of Alvarez. In a clear public declaration, the Madrid club said that its board of directors “have unanimously expressed their absolute support for the club’s decision to not negotiate the transfer of Alvarez to Barcelona.”

The club did not soften its criticism of the way the Catalan side have gone about trying to sign the 26-year-old forward. The statement added: “Atletico Madrid is open to standard transfer market negotiations when conducted in a professional, ethical and respectful manner. We fully stand behind the club’s previously communicated position that Barcelona failed to meet these requirements and, as a result, there will not be any negotiation and there is zero consideration of an Alvarez transfer to Barcelona.”

Julian Alvarez still absent from training

Even as the board remains firm in its position, the situation on the ground continues to be tense, with the player still distancing himself from the first team. Alvarez has reportedly not turned up for training for two straight days, a strong indication of his wish to force a move away. This “position of strength” adopted by the player has further damaged the relationship between the club and the striker, who was notably left out of Atletico’s squad for their opening match of the La Liga season.

In spite of the player’s apparent unhappiness, Atletico are publicly insisting that they expect him to return and fulfil his commitments. The statement also said: “Atletico Madrid trust that our player will understand the decision and will remain focused on helping the club achieve its goals, just as he has done during the two seasons he has been defending our colors.”

Barcelona and Arsenal in chase for the Argentine

The situation intensified just hours before Atletico’s statement when Barcelona president Joan Laporta spoke publicly about the deal, saying that the offer for the striker was still active. Laporta said that “it appears that the player wants to come to Barca,” a remark that likely prompted the sharp response from the Metropolitano.

Although Barcelona have been leading the race for his signature, they are not the only major European club keeping a close eye on developments. Premier League side Arsenal have also been strongly linked with a move for the striker, who reportedly has a massive release clause of 500 million euros. The collapse in relations between Atletico and Barcelona could potentially create an opening for the Gunners, although Atletico’s current message suggests a total unwillingness to sell to anyone at this point.

A breakdown in professional relations

The impact of this saga is being felt well beyond the offices of Madrid and Barcelona. At the Champions League draw in Monaco, the conduct of the Catalan club became a major subject of discussion among European executives. According to Marca, club sources have indicated that Barcelona’s decision to bypass traditional negotiation channels has been viewed negatively by the wider football community. The feeling inside the Metropolitano is that Barcelona’s approach was an attempt to “deceive” the market, creating a situation that the board believes it must address with complete transparency and a refusal to enter into any further dialogue.