Barcelona had rejected the opportunity to sign €80 million-rated Atletico Madrid superstar for €22m | OneFootball

Julian Alvarez has become a bona fide star in La Liga since joining Atletico Madrid last summer.

The Argentine has been deeply involved in Atletico’s attacking play this season, racking up 23 goals in all competitions and playing a key role in helping Diego Simeone’s men emerge as one of the strong title contenders.

Barcelona could have signed Julian Alvarez

However, Alvarez’s career trajectory could have been very different as he was offered to Barcelona back in 2021.

That is according to Miguel Rico, who reveals that the Catalan giants had the chance to secure his services for just €22 million when he was still playing for River Plate.

Renowned agent Josep Maria Minguella was tipped off about Alvarez by River Plate’s technical secretary, Enzo Francescoli, who urged Barcelona to sign him.

Julian Alvarez could have joined Barcelona in 2021 (Photo by Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images)

At the time, Alvarez had a release clause of €22 million, and Francescoli personally informed Minguella about the opportunity.

Barcelona opted for Ferran Torres instead

Despite the tip-off, Barcelona decided against pursuing the deal. Instead, the club’s focus was on strengthening their attack through players from the Premier League.

This led them to invest €60 million in Ferran Torres from Manchester City, a decision that in hindsight looks questionable given Alvarez’s rise to prominence.

Manchester City ultimately capitalized on Barcelona’s hesitation, securing Alvarez for just €21 million —one million less than his release clause at River Plate.

The move proved to be a masterstroke as Alvarez flourished under Pep Guardiola before making his big-money switch to Atletico Madrid for €80 million.

However, it must be noted that Ferran himself, after enduring a difficult few years at Barcelona, has been doing well under Hansi Flick and has now established himself as an impact player.