For months, Atletico Madrid have been clear that Julian Alvarez will not be allowed to leave for Barcelona or any other club during the upcoming summer transfer window, but they may now need to consider moving him on, given that the player himself is no longer content with staying at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.

Barcelona have had Alvarez as their leading striker target for some time, and with Robert Lewandowski now confirmed to be leaving, they are ready to step up their pursuit of the Argentine’s signature – but only if given encourage by either Atleti or the player himself. The former has yet to come, but the latter does appear to have now happened.

That’s because Alvarez has told Atleti that he wants to leave the club this summer if an opportunity arises that would allow him to make an “important step” in his career, as reported by ESPN (via Sport). In short, it means that he has made it very clear to Los Colchoneros bosses that if Barcelona come calling, he would be very keen for a deal to be reached between the two clubs.

Alvarez informed Atleti of his stance during recent contract talks, during which he also knocked back the offer of a new deal that had been on the table. He sees Barcelona as his preferred destination for the summer, although he would also be willing to join Paris Saint-Germain, who have also shown strong interest in his services over the last few weeks.

Atleti have a big decision to make

This move by Alvarez is a significant one, as it is the first time that he has informed Atleti of his desire to seek a move away. As for the club itself, there are those that would not stand in his way if an acceptable offer arrives, as it would allow for more money to be spent on improving Diego Simeone’s squad as a whole.

Barcelona will certainty see this as an opportunity to bring the asking price down, but Atleti still have the most control in the matter, given that he’s under contract at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano until 2030. They’re not under big pressure to sell, but they may choose to let him go so as not to risk keeping an unhappy player.