Barcelona banking on World Cup to quell anger of Atletico Madrid amid race to sign Argentine forward

Barcelona's pursuit of Julian Alvarez remains the dominant topic as the World Cup looms, with PSG and Atlético de Madrid in the mix and Alvarez keeping silence publicly. Diario SPORT reports PSG hoped to reopen talks with Atlético and Alvarez’s camp after their Champions League final triumph, but Alvarez, via his agent, has signaled PSG isn’t his priority for June. Atletico, which does not want to sell to a direct Spanish rival, has hardened its stance against Barcelona, while the player weighs his options in a tense backdrop. With the World Cup serving as a reset, Barcelona and PSG hope the tournament softens Atlético’s demands and opens dialogue after the tournament. Atlético Madrid holds all bargaining leverage, and Barcelona aims to structure a deal around installments and performance-related clauses, while Atletico demands substantial transfer fees. The World Cup reset could trigger renewed negotiations, but for now the situation remains unresolved, leaving Alvarez’s preferred destination—Barcelona—still the strongest rumor amid a competitive field.