Atletico Madrid have changed their stance and are now open to selling Julian Alvarez to Arsenal, but the player remains determined to join Barcelona instead.
Alvarez's Transfer Request and Atletico's Shift
Alvarez, 26, went public with his desire to leave Atletico during the World Cup. Atletico boss Diego Simeone declared earlier this month that the Argentina international's future had been decided, with the striker set to remain in Madrid for another season.
But Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo report that the situation has become untenable, forcing Atletico to accept a sale — except not to Barcelona. Simeone would even accept taking Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres as part of a swap deal which has been mooted in recent weeks.
Barcelona's Pursuit and Alvarez's Dream
Alvarez is desperate to join Barca, who saw their €100million (£86m) bid rejected earlier this summer and were the subject of a complaint to FIFA from Atletico for allegedly tapping the player up. Alvarez, however, doesn't want to return to England, having chosen to leave Manchester City in 2024. His heart is set on joining Barcelona, which is believed to be his 'dream' club.
In June, Alvarez declared: "I spoke with people at the club, with those I had to speak with and the best thing for everyone is a transfer and I want to fulfil my dream. It's not the time to talk about this, but I also can't hide it. I try to be an honest person."
Atletico's Firm Stance and Release Clause
CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin has been firm, though, claiming that the only way in which Alvarez can be sold is if a club pays his extravagant €500million (£428m) release clause. "We don't want to transfer him," Gil Marin stated. "We didn't accept the €100m offer, nor will we accept one for €150m or €200m. I have no doubt that Atletico is the right place for Julian and that Julian is the centre forward for Atletico Madrid. We want to keep him."
Alvarez Misses Season Opener
Alvarez missed Atletico's first game of the La Liga season, a 2-0 win at home to Malaga. Simeone explained pre-match that the former City star wasn't match fit, having been granted extra time off after helping Argentina reach the World Cup final. "We don't believe Julian Alvarez is in the right condition to play or take part for tomorrow's game," the Atletico boss said. "Hopefully, over these next four days, he'll make further progress and we'll be closer to where we want him to be. 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."
Atletico's next game is on Sunday, hosting Villarreal. It remains to be seen whether Alvarez will feature.
