Barcelona and Spain forward Lamine Yamal said this week that he would welcome Atlético Madrid striker Julián Álvarez to Camp Nou.
Speaking in an interview with Cadena SER that was broadcast on Tuesday, Yamal stated, “If he comes, we’ll welcome him with open arms… If I were him, I’d do it. We’ll be waiting for him if he wants to come.”
The 18-year-old added that Álvarez is “a great player” and said Barcelona would be “the best club in the world, the best fans, and the best city” for the Argentine international.
The comments come amid growing speculation over Álvarez’s future at Atlético Madrid. Following Argentina’s World Cup victory over Austria, Álvarez told reporters he thought “the best thing for everyone involved [at Atlético] is for me to leave” and that he wanted to “fulfil my dream.”
Barcelona has identified the 26-year-old as a priority transfer target, though Atlético Madrid has maintained he is not for sale. Club president Enrique Cerezo said the team has received no offers and “even if there were offers, we don’t want to sell him.” Álvarez remains under contract until 2030 with a release clause reported at €500 million.
Yamal is not the only Barcelona player to publicly support a potential move. Midfielder Gavi told Mundo Deportivo he “would love him to be with us,” noting it is Álvarez’s dream.