Barcelona told Julian Alvarez ‘wants to stay’ at Atletico

Barcelona have been told Julian Alvarez wants to stay at Atletico Madrid amid talk of interest from the Catalan giants.

Alvarez is one of several strikers being linked with a move to Barcelona as the club ponder potential replacements for veteran No. 9 Robert Lewandowski.

Atletico president Enrique Cerezo, who has already insisted he’s not willing to sell Alvarez, now says the Argentina international does not want to move either.

Cerezo was asked if the arrival of United States-based Apollo Sports Capital investment as majority shareholders will help the club keep hold of Alvarez and offered up the following response.

“That was and is the case before. We had anticipated that before they came,” he told reporters.

“Julián has a contract and he has to fulfill it, like everyone else. Julián is a player we want and he wants to stay here, so what more reinforcement does he need? He’s been with us for a year and he has five or six more years on him!

“We are not open to negotiating for Julián or any other player. Now, if a team comes for a player and he wants to leave, then he’ll leave, but right now there isn’t a single player who wants to leave.”

Barcelona are said to now prepare a move for Harry Kane over Alvarez, although the Bayern Munich star has played down talk of a transfer this week.