Deco denies Barcelona’s involvement in Julián Álvarez’s exit rumors from Atlético
Barcelona sporting director Deco has publicly denied any involvement by the Catalan club in an alleged attempt to force Argentine forward Julián Álvarez out of Atlético de Madrid. In an interview with Catalan radio station RAC1, Deco confirmed that the club had submitted an official bid for the player, but emphasized that there was no response from Atlético and that the narrative of media pressure does not align with the reality of the situation.
Proposal submitted, but no response
Deco detailed Barça’s position in the negotiations, stating:
“I don’t want to talk about this anymore. We did everything right. We sent a proposal, but there was no response. There has been more talk in the press than in reality. Laporta has already explained that he spoke with them respectfully and clearly. And that’s it. We cannot keep talking about the same thing. There is more social pressure involved than reality.”
The director was categorical in refuting reports that Barcelona had encouraged Julián Álvarez to publicly express his desire to leave Atlético de Madrid, declaring:
“Barça did not tell him to publicly express a desire to leave Atlético.”
Parallel to his own career
In his analysis of the case, Deco drew a parallel to his own journey as a player. He recalled his transfer from Porto to Barcelona in 2004, following the Portuguese club’s Champions League victory.
“The president of Porto wouldn’t let me go to Barça. They told me to stay one more year and then they would let me go. I stayed, and my obsession was to play well. Fortunately, in my case, I managed to go where I wanted,” shared Deco, highlighting the complexities and behind-the-scenes nature of high-level football negotiations. The statement serves as a reminder of the difficulties that can arise in the transfers of high-profile players.
M360 Team
