Atletico forced to consider Alvarez sale in pursuit for ex-Man United star

Atlético Madrid have reportedly entered the transfer race to sign 24-year-old Olympique Marseille forward Mason Greenwood, identifying the Englishman as the ideal long-term replacement for veteran attacker Antoine Griezmann.

However, Diego Simeone's side face a significant financial hurdle, as Marseille are steadfastly sticking to the  €50 million valuation for their talismanic forward. 

The French club, who recently dismissed a €30 million offer from Fenerbahçe, are incentivised to hold out for top dollar because Manchester United are entitled to receive 50% of any profit from a future sale following his initial €26 million move to France in July 2024.

Currently, Atlético simply cannot afford this asking price without generating significant revenue through major squad sales, leaving the ambitious pursuit temporarily stalled.

The financial key to unlocking Greenwood's transfer hinges on the increasingly volatile situation surrounding Julián Álvarez. 

The 26-year-old Argentine recently issued a public plea to leave Atlético for FC Barcelona following his nation's 2-0 victory over Austria on June 22. 

While Atlético have retaliated by threatening a FIFA complaint over Barcelona's aggressive approach and continue to point to the striker's staggering €500 million release clause, a potential sale of the unhappy forward would instantly provide the necessary funds to meet Marseille's demands. 

Greenwood's price tag is thoroughly justified by his spectacular 2025/26 Ligue 1 campaign, where he dominated by recording 23 combined goals and assists across the season. 

Should the move materialise, Greenwood will return to LALIGA, a division he had previously thrived in, when he registered 14 goal contributions on loan at Getafe.