Julian Alvarez's Atletico Madrid Future in Doubt as Training Continues
Julian Alvarez’s Atletico Madrid future was thrown into deeper doubt on Friday as the forward missed first-team training for the third consecutive day.
The Argentine did report back to the club’s facilities, according to reports in Spain, but not to rejoin Diego Simeone’s group. Instead, Alvarez is expected to work alone, away from his team-mates, as the stand-off over his next move drags on with the transfer window about to slam shut.
He is not expected to feature in Atletico’s LaLiga trip to Sevilla on Saturday, another clear sign of how far the situation has deteriorated.
Barcelona off the table
Alvarez is pushing hard to secure a move to Barcelona, a switch he is described as desperate to make. Atletico, though, have drawn a firm line. They will not sell to a direct rival.
“Our intention and my personal dream is for him to stay with us, to remain at Atletico,” club chief executive Gil Marin said on Thursday, laying out the club’s stance in blunt terms.
“To compete amongst the greats, you need great players, and Julian is one. If he believes that staying at Atletico is no longer feasible, we will look for an alternative, but it will never, ever be Barcelona.”
That last sentence hangs over the entire saga. Alvarez wants Barcelona. Atletico refuse to deal with Barcelona. Something has to give, and fast.
Arsenal wait in the wings
With the window closing on Tuesday night, time is tight. Arsenal are working quietly in the background and are understood to be the club most likely to benefit if Atletico do decide to cash in.
Atletico are thought to be open to selling to the Premier League side for the right price. The problem? Alvarez has not yet given his approval to a move to north London. The Gunners wait, and so do Atletico, for a signal from the player’s camp that has not yet arrived.
For now, the stalemate continues.
“Very confused” Alvarez caught in the middle
Gil Marin painted a picture of a player torn in several directions at once.
“Julian is really struggling,” he said. “There have been people who have set out to deceive and confuse him, and I’m very sorry about that.
“I know him and we’ve been working with him for some time. He’s a great professional and footballer, but he’s very confused and going through a very difficult time, both personally and professionally.”
So Alvarez trains alone, Barcelona remain blocked, Arsenal hover, and Simeone prepares for Sevilla without one of his key forwards.
By Tuesday night, one of those paths will have to open — or he stays at a club he no longer seems sure he wants, under a board that refuses to bend to his preferred destination.
