Atlético Madrid rejects €150m Real Madrid bid for Julián Álvarez

Atletico Madrid have released a strongly worded statement in response to a reported €150 million bid from Real Madrid for striker Julian Alvarez. The statement, published on the club's official channels, accused their city rivals of unethical conduct and made clear that no offer for the Argentine forward would be considered.

Atletico's four-point response

The club listed four grievances in their statement, which appeared to be directed at Real Madrid's leadership. The first point referenced a video of Pope Francis, a known Atletico fan, that was allegedly edited by Real Madrid. Atletico claimed: "You cut the video of the Pope where he said he was also an Atleti fan."

The second point addressed what Atletico described as a confusion between ethics and gratitude. The statement read: "You must have confused ethics with gratitude, but to leave no doubts: we don't thank you for anything."

Thirdly, Atletico firmly rejected any possibility of a transfer: "We are not studying nor considering any offer for Julian."

The final point took a sarcastic tone, suggesting that Real Madrid's actions were more amusing than those of Barcelona. "How could we [Madrid] not get along, when you make us laugh even more than Barcelona," the statement added.

Context of the bid

The €150 million bid, if confirmed, would represent one of the highest transfer offers in football history. Julian Alvarez, 24, joined Atletico Madrid from Manchester City in the summer of 2024 for a fee of around €75 million. He has since become a key player for Diego Simeone's side, scoring 12 goals in 28 appearances across all competitions this season.

Real Madrid's interest in Alvarez is seen as part of their long-term planning to strengthen their attack, with veteran striker Karim Benzema having left the club in 2023. However, Atletico's response makes clear that they view the bid as a provocation rather than a serious negotiation.

Reaction and implications

The statement has been widely shared on social media, with fans and pundits noting the unusually confrontational tone from Atletico's official channels. The reference to the Pope video suggests a history of tension between the two clubs beyond the transfer bid.

Atletico's insistence that they are not considering any offer indicates that Alvarez is not for sale at any price, at least in the current transfer window. The club's strong stance may also be intended to deter future approaches from Real Madrid or other suitors.