Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez will miss his side’s La Liga season opener against Malaga, head coach Diego Simeone confirmed on Tuesday, as the Argentine continues to be linked with a move to Barcelona.
The 26-year-old joined Atletico from Manchester City for €75 million (£63 million) in 2024 and has made no secret of his desire to leave the club.
At the World Cup, Alvarez revealed he had held discussions with Atletico regarding a potential transfer to “fulfil my dream”, following widespread speculation in the Spanish media regarding interest from Barcelona.
However, Atletico CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin insisted that the club would reject offers even reaching €200 million (£171 million) for a key player they intend to retain.
“Miguel Angel is the club’s owner. Nothing is more definitive than the club’s owner, it’s crystal clear. It’s like when a judge hands down a ruling: ‘Dismissed,'” Simeone told reporters ahead of Wednesday’s game.
“What he said is crystal clear. From a sports perspective, we want to look out for the person, the player, so he can continue to uphold his reputation.
“We don’t see him playing in this game. I hope that over the next four days, he’ll be closer to where we want him to be.”
Alvarez has scored 49 goals in 106 appearances for Atletico, and Simeone remains hopeful the forward could feature in Sunday’s home fixture against Villarreal.
“I still feel the same way I did the other day in Korea (during Atletico’s pre-season tour). I handle the sporting side of things,” Simeone added.
“We talked as we always do and I understand that, from a sporting standpoint, he still needs to step it up a bit to be in top form for Sunday.
“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.”
Alvarez has also been linked with a potential move to Arsenal this summer, with the Gunners keen to strengthen their front line for their Premier League title defence.
However, he has made it clear that he would prefer a switch to Barcelona. As things stand, Atletico remain adamant Alvarez is not for sale.
