Barcelona's Urgent Pursuit of Julian Alvarez

Barcelona’s long pursuit of Julian Alvarez is reaching its breaking point, and the timing could hardly be worse.

The new La Liga season is about to start, Barcelona open against Elche on Sunday, and the squad still does not contain a single recognised striker. For a club built on attacking glamour, it is an extraordinary sight: a forward line built on improvisation while the number nine they really want remains out of reach.

Atletico Madrid have stood firm all summer. Alvarez has been Barcelona’s priority target for months, but Atletico’s stance has not shifted – he is not for sale. No negotiating games, no late softening. Just a flat refusal.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona will now make one final push. One last attempt to prise Alvarez away. If that fails, they walk. No more calls, no more waiting.

Inside the club, a clock is ticking. The report claims Barcelona have set a hard deadline of the next two or three days. Either Alvarez is in the door by then, or the club move immediately to Plan B.

The problem? Plan B has about a dozen faces.

The rumour mill has barely paused all summer, spitting out name after name as a possible alternative. Now Ayoze Perez is being floated as the latest option, another forward added to a growing list of “maybes” while Alvarez remains the only “must”.

This saga has dominated Barcelona’s off-season, overshadowing almost everything else. But with the league about to kick off and the squad still missing its reference point up front, the story is finally reaching its decisive act.

Barcelona either land Julian Alvarez in the coming days – or they are forced to redraw their attacking plans on the fly, with the season already underway.