"It hasn’t been possible" Deco clarifies the situation about Alvarez

No story dominated last summer's transfer window quite like the Julian Alvarez affair.

Barcelona had their sights set firmly on the Atletico Madrid striker, and the feeling seemed mutual, Alvarez had even gone public with his wish to move on. But Atleti refused to play along. What followed was a drawn-out saga that ultimately ended with the forward staying put at the Metropolitano, leaving Barcelona empty-handed after pouring considerable time and effort into their chase.

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Deco settles the matter

While attending the Portugal Sports Summit, the former Barcelona player and current sporting director of the Catalan club confirmed that the Julián Álvarez matter is now a thing of the past; the club is not expected to revisit it for the time being, as it has other plans for the future.

"The idea has always been to bring in a forward with good movement and the ability to link up with others, and Julian (Alvarez) was one such player," Deco said

He went on to shed more light on how the negotiations unfolded, revealing that the club had done everything in its power to tempt Alvarez away from Atletico.

"It hasn't been possible; we made an offer… the club has always said they wouldn't sell him, so we have to look for other solutions," he added.

"Julian (Alvarez) is in the past; we have to look ahead, and we're happy. I hope he's doing well too, that he's helping his club," he concluded.

Will Barcelona return to Álvarez soon?

The transfer window had barely shut before speculation resurfaced, with reports quickly tying Barcelona to a possible January move for Alvarez. But Raphinha's emergence in the number nine role this season may have changed the calculus entirely.

Having racked up 14 goals in all competitions, the Brazilian has been finding the back of the net with ease, and his form has effectively removed the urgency for a more conventional striker. On top of that, he has developed a superb rapport with Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez, and the two summer signings, Karim Adeyemi and Anthony Gordon. With such a fluent attacking dynamic already in place, it's difficult to envision Barcelona making a fresh push for Alvarez anytime soon. Their focus in January, by contrast, could well be on reinforcing the defence — with the club keeping close tabs on Arthur Dias, among other options.

Hazem Mlhem |

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Hazem Mlhem est un rédacteur sportif expérimenté, animé par une passion pour le football africain.

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