Alvarez to return to Atletico Madrid on Monday; club refuses sale to Barcelona

Published Aug 9, 04:12 PM UTC

According to Mundo Deportivo, Julian Alvarez will return to Atletico Madrid on Monday and plans to meet with coach Diego Simeone to express his desire to leave the club. The Argentine forward hopes to join Barcelona, but Atletico Madrid has publicly stated they will not sell him to a direct competitor. The club insists on keeping Alvarez as their core player for the 2026/27 season. If the situation worsens and he forces a transfer, Atletico will only consider offers from clubs outside Spain, with Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain as potential destinations, though the player is not interested in either. Alvarez's contract runs until 2030 with a release clause near €500 million. Simeone has referenced past similar situations, such as Griezmann's, indicating the club will not easily let him go.