‘Nothing more to it’: Diego Simeone gives final verdict on Julian Alvarez’s future amid Barcelona links
(Courtesy : LaLiga)
Julian Alvarez has been tipped for a move to rivals Barcelona.
Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone delivered a strong verdict on Julian Alvarez’s future, claiming that the Argentine striker remains a big part of the club’s plans despite ongoing transfer interest from Barcelona and Arsenal.
The former Manchester City striker, who joined Atletico in 2024, publicly spoke about his desire for a transfer to Barcelona during Argentina’s FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign. However, Atletico have so far taken a hardline stance against selling one of their prized assets to a direct league rival.
The Rojiblancos will open their LaLiga 2026-27 campaign with a home match against Malaga on Wednesday. Speaking in the pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Simeone confirmed that Alvarez is not match-fit enough to take part in the upcoming game, but the club remains focused on his sporting situation.
“I still think the same way. I take care of the sporting side. We’ve been talking as we always do,” Simeone said, as quoted by Marca. “From a sporting perspective, we need more training sessions with him so he can improve. He’s one of the best attacking players… if not the best.”
Alvarez returned late from Argentina’s World Cup campaign, having led the 2022 champions to the final, where they lost the title to Spain. Amid the ongoing transfer rumours, the striker returned to Atletico training on August 10. He underwent the mandatory pre-season medical examination at the High-Performance Sports Medicine Center at the Vithas Madrid Arturo Soria University Hospital.
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Simeone rubbishes Julian Alvarez transfer claims
Most of the summer transfer window has been dominated by talks of Alvarez moving to Barcelona, with links to Arsenal also emerging. Even Real Madrid had a bid rejected for the striker.
Alvarez has made it perfectly clear that Barcelona remain his dream destination, even publicly demanding a transfer to the Camp Nou. However, Atletico Madrid CEO Angel Gil Marin slammed Alvarez’s antics and also threatened Barcelona with legal action over their conduct.
Now, Simeone said that Gil Marin’s comments are conclusive about Alvarez’s future at Atletico Madrid.
“I think if the club owner spoke so bluntly about what he said, that’s all there is to it; it’s more than clear. This is like when you go to court… there’s nothing more to it,” Simeone said. “We take care of the person and the player; we understand that he’s not in condition to play in this match.”
With Alvarez ruled out of the Malaga match, it remains to be seen who will partner Alexander Sorloth up top at the Estadio Metropolitano on Wednesday.
What did Diego Simeone say about Julian Alvarez’s future?
Simeone dismissed speculation about Julian Alvarez leaving, insisting the Argentine striker remains central to the club’s plans.
Will Julian Alvarez play vs Malaga?
No. Simeone confirmed that Alvarez is not match-fit and will miss Atletico Madrid’s LaLiga 2026‑27 opener against Malaga.
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Sushruta has spent over two years covering football, with a particular focus on Indian and international competitions. Alongside football, he has reported on a variety of sports, bringing curiosity and perspective to every story. When he’s not following the action, he can usually be found binge-watching movies or getting lost in a good book.