Atlético Madrid president Enrique Cerezo made it official on July 1: Julián Álvarez isn’t going anywhere. The Argentine forward will stay at the club for the 2026-27 season, full stop.
The confirmation came after Atlético reportedly rejected a €150 million bid from crosstown rivals Real Madrid. That’s roughly $165 million, or about 1,500 Bitcoin at current prices, if you prefer your valuations in harder money.
A half-billion-euro price tag says everything
Álvarez’s release clause reportedly sits at €500 million. For context, that would make him one of the most expensive transfer targets in football history, and it’s clearly designed to be a “go away” number rather than an actual invitation to negotiate.
Cerezo, who has served as Atlético’s president since 2003, was characteristically blunt about the situation. He emphasized that the club has “zero bids” it’s willing to entertain for the striker, essentially telling both Real Madrid and Barcelona, which had also reportedly shown interest, to look elsewhere.
