Real Madrid stunned the soccer world on Tuesday, announcing that they made a €150-million offer to Atletico Madrid for star forward Julian Alvarez.
The surprise reveal also said Atletico, one of Real Madrid's biggest rivals, rejected the bid.
"After reviewing and evaluating the offer, Club Atletico de Madrid has expressed its gratitude for the proposal, made within the framework of the good relations between both clubs, and has rejected it, referring to the player's release clause," Real Madrid said in the statement.
Atletico responded to Real Madrid's announcement with a series of viral posts poking fun at their longtime rivals.
Atletico Madrid responds to Real Madrid's official statement about Julian Alvarez. pic.twitter.com/39PGdsSULE
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 9, 2026
😂😂😂😂😂 https://t.co/AI6mbMujPj
— Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) June 9, 2026
Real Madrid's announcement comes just days after the re-election of club president Florentino Perez, who promised during his campaign to sign another "galactico" player. The Spanish giants, who are expected to hire Jose Mourinho as head coach, have also reportedly agreed recently to sign Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate.
Alvarez has generated strong interest from some of Europe's top clubs this summer, with the 26-year-old linked to Barcelona, PSG, and Arsenal in recent weeks.
The standout Argentine striker has scored 20 goals across all competitions in each of the past two seasons for Atletico.
