Barcelona directors Deco and Joao Amaral were seen traveling to Madrid to meet with Fernando Hidalgo, the agent representing Argentine forward Julián Álvarez, according to SPORT.
Barcelona has not given up on signing Álvarez despite difficulties negotiating with Atlético de Madrid, and continues looking for ways to keep the operation alive. The two Barcelona directors are expected to meet Hidalgo to review the state of the deal and discuss next steps, with the meeting possibly taking place today or tomorrow in the Spanish capital, away from media attention.
Barcelona won't give up on Álvarez
Officials at Camp Nou know the forward's signing is one of the most complicated of the transfer market. Atlético de Madrid has taken a firm stance and has no intention of negotiating the exit of one of the most important players in Diego Simeone's squad.
The complicated institutional relationship between the two clubs makes any agreement even harder to reach. Even so, Joan Laporta and Deco believe there are still scenarios worth exploring before considering the deal dead.
Player's willingness seen as key
One factor giving Barcelona confidence is the willingness Álvarez already showed during the World Cup to consider leaving Atlético de Madrid. The Argentine forward expressed his desire to leave the club this summer, a stance Barcelona believes could prove decisive if negotiations move forward.
The meeting with Hidalgo is meant to coordinate strategy between all parties and maintain ongoing contact as the transfer market evolves. It is not a meeting to close the signing, but to weigh the real options available and prepare a response if the situation changes.
Deal remains open
Nobody at Barcelona is hiding that signing Álvarez remains very complex. Even so, the sporting management does not want to give up on one of its major targets and will keep working while the possibility remains.
The summit between Deco, Joao Amaral and Fernando Hidalgo confirms that Barcelona is keeping the operation active and has not thrown in the towel on a player set to be central to one of the transfer market's biggest moves.
Other headlines from the site
-
Heavy storms, intense rain and hail are forecast as a sudden change in weather hits Spain, according to H. de Miguel.
-
Spain's AEMET weather agency confirmed temperatures would stay above 25 degrees in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands on Wednesday, Iago Rodríguez reported.
-
Lawyer Abel Marín said people who accept an inheritance can later discover an inflated debt that ruins their lives, in a piece by Ainara C. Mateos.
-
An opinion piece by Sayde Chaling-chong García examined a prominent Florida political family and Morocco's actions against Ceuta.
-
Zapatero told the judge in the Plus Ultra case that his wife was unrelated to the proceedings, Ricardo Coarasa reported.
-
The other investigating judge in the "cloacas" case declined to summon more Socialist Party officials, according to Álvaro Olloqui.
