Real Madrid Confirm Club-Record €150m Bid For Julian Alvarez Was Rejected

Real Madrid have released a remarkable official statement confirming that their club-record €150 million (£129m/$173m) offer for Julian Alvarez has been rejected by rivals Atlético Madrid. The extraordinary announcement finally reveals the true identity of the mystery Galactico that club president Florentino Perez promised to sign following his recent re-election campaign.

Following mounting speculation, Real Madrid took the highly unusual step of publishing a formal announcement regarding their transfer business today. The club have confirmed they have seen a monumental €150m proposal for Alvarez turned down by Atlético.

The official club statement read: "Real Madrid C. F. announces that, following the meeting of the Board of Directors held today, it has made an offer of 150 million euros to Club Atlético de Madrid for the federative rights of the player Julian Alvarez. After reviewing and evaluating the offer, Club Atlético 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."

(Getty)

The bold move directly follows Perez being re-elected as club president on Sunday, after defeating rival Enrique Riquelme. During his campaign, the 79-year-old pledged to spend heavily on one major target. 

Before the revelation, Perez told Spanish TV show Horizonte: "On Tuesday or so, I'm going to make an offer to a major Champions League club for a great player. It would be the largest transfer fee Real Madrid has ever paid in its history. We're going to make a significant offer, at least around €150 million. He needs to be a midfielder who can drive forward. And it's not Haaland. The player is not from