Atletico Madrid tell Barcelona how much to pay for Alvarez

Atlético Madrid have reportedly slapped a staggering €150 million price tag on Argentine forward Julián Álvarez after the 26-year-old rejected the club's latest contract renewal offer. 

According to Spanish outlet Marca, the Madrid hierarchy are preparing for the eventuality that the decorated striker desires to leave the Cívitas Metropolitano this summer. 

They initially had a hardline "not for sale" stance, which had initially forced interested suitors like Barcelona to cool their pursuit temporarily. 

However, they have now set an incredible fee that could be prohibitive, or ensure they are well compensated for the initial €90 million paid to Manchester City to acquire the 2022 World Cup winner.

While Atletico are now welcome to sell, the transfer has not gotten any less complicated for Barcelona, given their financial situation. 

A €150 million transfer would instantly make Álvarez the most expensive signing in the Catalan club's history and the third most expensive transfer of all time (trailing only Neymar's €222 million and Kylian Mbappé's €180 million moves to Paris Saint-Germain). 

Although the Blaugrana are expected to return to LALIGA's 1:1 financial fair play spending rule ahead of the upcoming transfer window, the club's coffers are still not flush enough to easily absorb such an exorbitant standalone fee without significant player sales. 

This prohibitive valuation threatens to price Barcelona completely out of the race for their primary attacking target, simultaneously opening the door for far wealthier European suitors like Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal, who are also actively courting the Argentine international.