'Zero per cent chance' - Atleti shut down Barca's Alvarez plea amid Arsenal interest

Barcelona president Joan Laporta asked Atletico Madrid to accept their offer for Julian Alvarez on Wednesday; Atletico have responded by saying there is 'zero per cent chance' the Argentine moves to the Camp Nou; Arsenal are also interested in Alvarez

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Atletico Madrid say they will not enter into negotiations with Barcelona for striker Julian Alvarez amid interest from Arsenal.

Alvarez did not train on Wednesday and Thursday because of illness after a poor night's sleep on Tuesday, not because of anything related to his future.

The 26-year-old wants to join Barcelona , who again went public with their desire to sign him on Wednesday in an interview with president Joan Laporta.

"The truth is that we're very interested in the player," he told their club channels. "We'd like our offer to be accepted, and we say this with all due respect for Atletico Madrid."

However, Atletico have now publicly said they won't engage with Barcelona over the signing of Alvarez.

"Atletico de Madrid is open to standard transfer market negotiations when conducted in a professional, ethical and respectful manner," the club said on Thursday.

"We fully stand behind the club's previously communicated position that FC Barcelona failed to meet these requirements and, as a result, there will not be any negotiation and there is zero consideration of an Alvarez transfer to Barcelona.

"Atletico de Madrid trust that our player will understand the decision and will remain focused on helping the club achieve its goals, just as he has done during the two seasons he has been defending our colours."

Marca , Spain's biggest sports newspaper, had previously received on-the-record quotes from the club saying: "The player is being portrayed as the victim, but we are the only victims in this case.

"[Barcelona] have harmed us both financially and socially. There is a zero-per-cent chance of selling him to Barcelona - it's not about money, it's about dignity."

The situation around Alvarez's future has become "extremely tense", according to Atletico expert and journalist Ruben Uría.

His public desire to leave has made him so unpopular with the club's supporters that he was booed off after their 2-2 draw with Villarreal on Sunday.

"Neither Miguel Gil Marín (CEO of Atlético Madrid) nor the Apollo board want to sell the player to Barcelona," Uría told Sky Sports News . "The entire Apollo board supports Gil Marín's decision. Alvarez has been told."

According to Uría, Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has remained in contact with his former Atletico employers in recent days after Alvarez was booed off by supporters in the opening LaLiga game against Villarreal.

The Gunners remain interested in Alvarez and would be prepared to break their transfer record, the £105m paid out for Declan Rice three summers ago, to bring him to the Emirates Stadium - but the player himself does not want to move to London.

"I think even if Arsenal are outsiders at the moment, and the official word is that Arsenal aren't holding out great hopes of making this deal happen.

'But if Alvarez thinks his future needs to be away from Atletico Madrid after upsetting his supporters and they won't sell him to Barcelona, his only option is to join Arsenal, the Premier League champions.

"At the moment, he says he doesn't want to do that. But there are still six days of the window left."