Barcelona FC’s Julián Álvarez Dream Takes Dramatic Twist as Diego Simeone Emerges as Unlikely Ally

The chase of Julián Álvarez by Barcelona FChas caused some serious friction between them and Atlético Madrid, however, Atlético’s coach Diego Simeone surprisingly appears as a helping hand in getting the deal done. Although Atlético’s administration is not willing to accept the deal of €100 million, Simeone’s rigid policy of letting go of any player that wants to leave will force him to do so.

The transfer saga involving Álvarez is rapidly shaping up to be the big headline of the summer. The club badly needs the 26-year-old striker to spearhead their attack, and they have made an enormous offer. Nevertheless, Atlético de Madrid has been working overtime to stop this from happening. Just a couple of weeks ago, the club struck a new deal with Álvarez regarding his pay and went as far as accusing Barcelona of lying in the press, even mocking them on Twitter.

In theory, Atlético has all the leverage here. The young player is under contract with the club until 2030, and his contract even carries a hefty release fee of 500 million euros. The president has said on record that Atlético would not be keen on selling off its best players to a team that is a direct competitor in the league. This includes keeping hold of the star player who managed to net 20 goals last year for the team. However, this is where Diego Simeone comes into the picture. While the club is determined to hold out and retain the services of the forward, Simeone has made a point of always following an unwritten code. This includes making sure that there are no players on the team who are not willing to be there. Sources claim that the striker has already conveyed his wish to his agents that playing for Barcelona is his dream. If this were to become known to everyone, Simeone would advise the club to take the money.

It translates to mean that at this stage of the transfer negotiations, it all lies with Álvarez's voice alone. Barcelona is fully aware that when the player expresses the wish to leave, then the philosophy by which Simeone conducts his affairs will overshadow the obstinacy of the Atlético management. Should this occur, then Barcelona is said to be ready to go beyond their financial capacities for the sake of meeting this ultimate price.

Sportscape believes that it’s quite possible that Simeone’s style of management, which revolves around players first, could actually provide Barcelona with the key that they’ve been lacking in their offensive game plan. If Alvarez forces the issue, Atlético will have no option other than to pay up.