MADRID: Real Madrid confirmed on Tuesday that their offer of 150 million euros ($173 million) for Argentine forward Julian Alvarez has been rejected by city rivals Atletico Madrid.
Offer Rejected
"After reviewing and evaluating the offer, Club Atletico de Madrid has expressed its gratitude for the proposal... and has rejected it," Real Madrid said in a statement. The 26-year-old World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022, who previously played for Manchester City, joined Atletico in 2024. He is under contract until June 2030, with a release clause reportedly set at 500 million euros.
Atletico's Response
Atletico Madrid responded with a sarcastic social media post, stating: "You may have confused politeness with gratitude, but to be clear: we don't thank you for anything. We neither studied nor considered any offer for Julian. You make us laugh even more than Barcelona do."
Alvarez, included in Argentina's squad for the 2026 World Cup, scored eight goals in La Liga last season and 10 in the Champions League, where Atletico were eliminated in the semi-finals by Arsenal.
Perez's Promise
Re-elected as Real Madrid president on Sunday, Florentino Perez had promised a big-name signing during his campaign. Spanish media reported Bayern Munich's Michael Olise as a target, but Bayern president Herbert Hainer dismissed any offer: "If Florentino Perez wants to send us an offer, which has not happened so far, he can save himself the trouble."
