Paris Saint-Germain and FC Barcelona are both showing interest in signing Julian Alvarez before the summer transfer window ends. However, Barcelona has a significant edge: the 26-year-old Atletico Madrid forward is actively pushing, both publicly and behind the scenes, to secure a move to the Catalan side. Still, as Luis Suarez noted, Alvarez’s transfer might not happen until next year.
“A player as intelligent as Julian, with his journey from River Plate through Manchester City and Atletico, and also with the national team, would arrive and adapt because he would know how to perform his role.” After Pedri rolled out the red carpet for Julian Alvarez regarding a possible transfer to FC Barcelona, it was Luis Suarez who commented on this market speculation. The Argentine international took advantage of his participation in the 2026 World Cup with the Albiceleste to communicate his desire to leave Atletico Madrid and live his dream of joining FC Barcelona.
“It will be difficult to leave”
“He is a player who works hard. At Barcelona, he will have wingers who create many chances for him. He has good passing and movement. He will integrate immediately at Barca. But there is the other side. He plays at a big club like Atletico. It will be hard to leave. The coming weeks will be exciting.” continued the former FC Barcelona striker who had great times at the Blaugrana institution between 2014 and 2020. Barcelona certainly has the player’s preference, but definitely not the approval of Atletico Madrid, who intend to resist throughout the summer until the transfer deadline: September 1, 2026.
“Stay. Next year you can go wherever you want: to Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern”
PSG, also interested in Julian Alvarez for the past two years, might miss out. But it could only be postponed. Recalling his own experience, Luis Suarez explained that he was kept at Liverpool in 2013 before leaving a year later for Barcelona.
“These are situations you provoke at a given moment. I myself experienced that at Liverpool. In 2013, I pushed for a move because I wanted to join Arsenal. I argued with the club because we were not qualifying for the Champions League and I felt I needed a new step. I remember the captain, Gerrard, took me aside and said: ‘Stay. Next year, you will go wherever you want: to Barcelona, to Real Madrid, to Bayern… But this year, please stay. You cannot leave for Arsenal.’ And he convinced me. In this specific case, the same could happen to Julian: that Cholo takes him aside and tells him: ‘This year, I want you to stay with us.’ I was convinced by a Liverpool legend, the captain. I listened to reason, then I came out to apologize and it ended up being my best season at the club. The fans, even though we tried everything to force a departure, if they then see us on the pitch giving our all, working hard and defending the club, they end up applauding us.”
