Simeone vows to reintegrate Alvarez as Atletico block Barcelona move and Arsenal wait

Diego Simeone has declared he is prepared to reintegrate Julian Alvarez at Atletico Madrid even as the club’s standoff with Barcelona over the 26-year-old striker deepens, with Arsenal remaining the frontrunners to sign him before the transfer window closes.

Alvarez missed three training sessions this week and has been ruled out of Atletico’s La Liga fixture at Sevilla on Saturday. Atletico’s board issued a second formal statement this week making clear there will be no deal with their Spanish rivals, accusing Barcelona of failing to conduct negotiations “in a professional, ethical and respectful manner”.

Simeone addressed the situation directly at a press conference ahead of the Sevilla trip. “I understand that all the questions will be about Julian,” he said. “The club has been very clear about what will happen. From a sporting perspective, I hope to help him continue being as important as he still is. When he returns, we’ll give him everything he needs to feel important. In life, anything can be reversed, as long as we have our health.”

The full board statement read: “The members of Atlético de Madrid’s Board of Directors have unanimously expressed their absolute support for the club’s decision to not negotiate the transfer of Julián Alvarez to FC Barcelona. We fully stand behind the club’s previously communicated position that FC Barcelona failed to meet these requirements and, as a result, there will not be any negotiation and there is zero consideration of an Alvarez transfer to Barcelona.”

Alvarez’s absence is especially costly for Atletico given that fellow striker Alexander Sørloth is also sidelined with a muscle injury, leaving Simeone short of attacking options for the trip to Sevilla. Summer signing Cristian Romero, who joined from Tottenham, will travel with the squad but is not expected to start.

“We have to face an opponent coming off two wins who will be very confident going into tomorrow’s match,” Simeone added. “We’ll have to steer the game in a direction where we think we can hurt them.”

With Atletico’s position on Barcelona hardened by the public dispute, a move to Arsenal now appears the most plausible exit route for the former Manchester City forward before the window shuts.