Sofia Quijada
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Atletico Madrid will not allow forward Julian Alvarez to leave the club during the current transfer window, coach Diego Simeone confirmed Saturday, despite persistent interest from multiple top European clubs.
Last month, Atletico filed a complaint to FIFA over Barcelona allegedly making unauthorized contact with Alvarez. The Argentina international has also been linked with Premier League champions Arsenal, and Real Madrid had a 150-million-euro ($173.4m) bid rejected in June.
Speaking to reporters ahead of a pre-season friendly against Manchester City in Seoul, Simeone was direct on the club’s position.
“I think the situation is very clear. The club has made a decision that (CEO) Miguel Angel (Gil Marin) has explained very well. From a sporting perspective, we’re very happy to have a footballer like Julian… We will help him continue to grow, continue to improve and continue delivering the best — which has been a tremendous amount — that he has given us over the last two years.”
Alvarez is due to rejoin the Atletico squad in two days after taking a break following Argentina’s World Cup final loss to Spain. The 26-year-old, while on international duty, said he “believed a transfer is best for everyone”, without naming a preferred destination. He has scored 49 goals for Atletico since signing from Manchester City two years ago.
CEO Gil Marin reinforced the stance through the club’s in-house media channel.
“We don’t want to transfer him. We didn’t accept the 100-million-euro offer, nor will we accept one for 150 million or 200 million. 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.”
When asked how Atletico fans might respond to Alvarez given the transfer speculation, Simeone pointed to Antoine Griezmann as a reference point. The Frenchman left for Barcelona before returning to Atletico, initially facing hostility before winning the supporters back and departing last season as a club legend.
“We went through a period with Antoine in recent years where he had to leave, come back, and prove his quality and stature on the pitch. I see no other path than focusing on the sporting side of things, doing our part and helping him (Alvarez), just as we have done over the last few years.”
Atletico open their La Liga campaign on August 19 with a home fixture against newly-promoted Malaga. The club finished fourth last season, 25 points behind champions Barcelona. Follow TipsGG for continued coverage of Atletico’s transfer window and pre-season build-up.