Deco declares Julián Álvarez past as Barcelona shift focus
In the bustling hall of the Portugal Football Summit in Lisboa, Barcelona’s sporting director Deco stepped up to the podium and announced that the Argentine striker Julián Álvarez was "past" for the Catalan club. The comment came a month before the transfer window closed, signalling the end of what had been the season’s headline pursuit.
Offer and rejection
Deco confirmed that Barcelona had tabled a formal proposal for the Atlético de Madrid forward, estimating the bid at around USD 120 million. Atlético, however, never altered its stance and refused to sell their marquee player, leaving the Catalans without a deal.
Why the target fell away
According to Deco, the club’s interest in Álvarez was not linked to the conversion of Raphinha into a centre‑forward but stemmed from the impending departure of Robert Lewandowski, whom he described as “the best nine” and a distinct figure for Barcelona. The aim was to secure a mobile striker capable of linking play, a profile Álvarez seemed to fit.
New direction
With the Atlético door shut, Barcelona redirected its search and secured Gabriel Jesus from Arsenal. Deco admitted Jesus was not part of the original plan, but once Álvarez became unattainable, the Brazilian emerged as “the perfect” alternative for the desired playing style. He also mentioned that Lautaro Martínez of Inter Milan had been monitored, although the Italian club showed no willingness to negotiate.
Deco added that the club had to look forward, stating, “Julián is past, we have to look ahead. We are happy with the rest.” He expressed hope that Álvarez would thrive at his current club and that the many other deals Barcelona pursued would eventually bear fruit.
The summer saw Barcelona invest more than €170 million in seven new signings, including Anthony Gordon, Rodri Hernández, Karim Adeyemi, Gabriel Jesus, Jesse Biso, Dominik Livaković and João Cancelo, underlining a broad‑scale rebuild.
QUE, Con, POR and Más were the recurring themes in Deco’s briefing, reflecting the club’s determination to move beyond a single transfer saga and focus on a wider strategic overhaul.