Barcelona have been fined just €602 (£503) after Atletico Madrid complained about their approach for Julian Alvarez in the summer transfer window. Atletico accused them of contacting the Argentina international without first notifying them in writing, breaching rules on approaching players under contract. The striker is under contract until June 2030. According to Footballtoday.com.
Barcelona’s €602 fine over Alvarez approach is a token penalty at best
The scale of the penalty is the striking part of the case. A fine of €602 sits against a deal in which Atletico signed Alvarez from Manchester City in August 2024 for up to £81.5 million. For a player who remains under contract until June 2030, the sanction looks minor next to what is at stake.
The complaint, reported by Mundo Deportivo, centred on the way the approach was made. Atletico accused their La Liga rivals of contacting the Argentina international without first notifying them in writing, which they argued breached rules on pursuing players already under contract. The fine followed that complaint, with the approach dated to the summer transfer window.
Alvarez’s own position has complicated matters. The 26-year-old strained relations with sections of Atletico’s support by publicly saying he wanted to fulfil a dream of playing for Barcelona this summer. After scoring the winner against Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday, he apologised and admitted his comments had been a mistake.
Attention now turns to his representation. Alvarez is about to hire Rodri’s agent, Pablo Barquero, to handle his professional affairs, which may not sit well with fans. Barquero helped broker Rodri’s move from Manchester City to Barcelona this summer, and something similar may be attempted next summer.
