Getty Images · Mohamed Mansi · Aug 11, 2026 05:49 +08:00
Translated by New plan: Alvarez refuses to surrender in the face of Atletico's stubbornness
FEATURES · LaLiga · Barcelona · Atletico Madrid · J. Alvarez · Spain · Argentina
"It will be complicated, but we will keep insisting because we believe in what we are doing." This is the message being conveyed by those close to the player Julián Álvarez whenever they are asked about the possibility of leaving Atlético Madrid and joining Barcelona. The desire is still there. But as the days pass, the process has grown more complicated, and those around the Argentine striker know full well that time has begun to work against him.
Álvarez was due yesterday, Monday, to undergo the usual medical examinations before the start of training with Atlético. Instead, the player went straight in for the medical test alongside Álex Baena and Marcos Llorente at a clinic in Madrid used by the club, then left the facilities. His next step is to join training completely normally, and here the name of Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, the top executive at Atlético Madrid, comes into play.
According to the newspaper Sport, Gil Marín has known of the player's desire for days, after word reached him through various channels. He has not, however, seen any need to hold a fresh conversation, because he considers the club's position clear enough already. Those around Álvarez think differently. They believe it matters that the striker can explain his position personally, and that he is heard before any final decision is made. Keeping a player who has expressed his desire for a change of scenery for an entire season, they argue, could end up creating an uncomfortable situation for all parties.
The Argentine's circle also recall a conversation held some time ago with Gil Marín. During it, Julián understood, according to the same sources, that he would be helped to leave Atlético should he one day declare his wish to do so. He believes that moment has now come, and he is waiting to speak directly with the executive.
Getty Images — Álvarez is in near-daily contact with his representatives
The striker had already made his feelings public during the World Cup. After Argentina's 2–0 win over Austria, he admitted in the mixed zone that he had spoken with Atlético, and declared that he believed the best outcome would be to complete a transfer deal so he could achieve his dream. Since then, he has avoided cranking up the tension in public.
Alongside all this, Fernando Hidalgo and Sergio Díaz sat down with Julián Álvarez yesterday, Monday, for a lengthy meeting that ran to around two and a half hours. Contact between Álvarez and his representatives happens almost daily, which is why those around the player play down any suggestion the meeting carried more significance than it actually did. That does not make the timing irrelevant. Julián Álvarez and his agents are weighing up how to handle the coming days, and in particular how to open that dialogue with Gil Marín.
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Getty Images — Finding a way out through dialogue in the Álvarez deal
The priority remains finding a way out through dialogue, without any rebellious steps or decisions that could pit the striker against Atlético Madrid's fans. Time has only made the situation harder, and all parties know it. Atlético insist they are counting on Julián Álvarez. Barcelona cannot wait indefinitely either, and are working on other options to strengthen their attacking line.
Yet the Julián Álvarez saga is far from resolved. The next move sought by the player's camp is not a statement or a fresh public declaration. It is to sit down and talk face to face, so that Atlético hear directly from the player which club he wants to play for next season.
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