Atletico Madrid will begin their La Liga campaign without Julian Alvarez, with head coach Diego Simeone confirming the Argentine striker will sit out Wednesday's season opener against Malaga as speculation over a possible move to Barcelona continues to swirl.
Alvarez arrived at the Wanda Metropolitano from Manchester City in 2024 for a fee of €75 million, but the 26-year-old has since made little effort to hide his ambition of leaving the club. His preference, by his own admission, is a switch to Barcelona.
Speaking at the World Cup earlier this year, Alvarez addressed his future directly. "The best thing for everyone is a transfer. And I want to fulfil my dream," he said, fuelling reports that he had already discussed a potential departure with the club.
Despite the player's stance, Atletico's hierarchy have been unequivocal in their refusal to sanction a sale. CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin stated last month that the club would turn down any offer for Alvarez, even one reaching €200 million, underlining their intention to build around the forward rather than cash in on him.
Simeone reinforced that message on Tuesday, framing the club owner's position as final. "If the club owner has spoken so categorically, then there's nothing more to say," the coach told reporters. "It's like when you go to court, that's it, there's nothing more to it. We're looking after both the person and the player, and we understand that he is not in the right condition to play in this match."
The Atletico boss was careful to distinguish between the transfer noise surrounding Alvarez and the football matters under his own remit. "We don't believe Julian Alvarez is in the right condition to play or take part in tomorrow's game," Simeone said, adding that he hoped the situation would soon be resolved. "Hopefully, over these next four days, he'll make further progress and we'll be closer to where we want him to be."
That timeline points towards Sunday's home fixture against Villarreal as a realistic return date, with Simeone suggesting the forward simply needs more work to reach peak sharpness. "He needs more practice. He's the best player we have and we're going to try to build a team around him, keeping his level in mind," the coach said, stressing that despite the transfer uncertainty, Alvarez remains central to his plans on the pitch.
Since joining Atletico, Alvarez has proven a reliable goal threat, netting 49 times in 106 appearances across all competitions. That record has not gone unnoticed elsewhere in Europe, with Arsenal also reportedly monitoring his situation as they look to bolster their attacking options while defending their Premier League title. Reports have suggested contact between Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta's camp and parties close to the player, though Atletico have publicly and privately dismissed any suggestion that a departure — to Arsenal, Barcelona, or elsewhere — is imminent.
For now, the saga leaves Alvarez in a curious limbo: a player the club insists is not for sale, sidelined for the opening match of the season not due to injury or suspension, but because of his readiness following weeks of transfer uncertainty. How quickly he returns to full training and match fitness may say as much about the resolution of his future as any statement from the club's boardroom.
Atletico will hope to secure a positive start to their league campaign against Malaga regardless, with Simeone signaling that Alvarez's full reintegration into the side could come as soon as this weekend's clash with Villarreal.
Based on reporting from Independent Football and Standard Football.