The president of Atlético Madrid was once again emphatic about Julián Álvarez's situation: "He is not for sale"

The novel of Julián Álvarez and Barcelona seems to be heading towards a known conclusion. Amid the rumors that arose during and after the 2026 World Cup and the Argentine forward's intention to change scenery, the president of Atlético de Madrid, Enrique Cerezo, reiterated the club's stance: the Spider is not for sale and will continue in the team managed by Diego Simeone.

"I already said at first that he was not being sold. That he was not being sold, that he was our player and that he is an important piece of our team and, as an important piece, we want him, we like that he is with us and I believe that he will have a magnificent season", Cerezo stated during a press conference.

The executive also referred to the relationship between the forward and the Colchonero fans, after his desire to leave the institution became known. In that sense, he downplayed the possibility that the Spider would have to apologize and expressed confidence that he would quickly regain the support of the fans: "I don't know if he will apologize, but Julián is an excellent person and I am sure, absolutely sure, that he will win the fans back in two matches".

Cerezo reiterated the contractual situation of the former River player and closed his stance with a strong message: "Julián is a player of Atlético de Madrid, he has a contract with Atlético de Madrid, he is training with Atlético de Madrid and he is preparing to have a magnificent and wonderful season".

The president's words coincided with the stance already expressed by Cholo Simeone. During the press conference prior to the Colchonero's debut in LaLiga against the recently Málaga, the Argentine coach publicly supported the attacker and, after Cerezo's statements, considered that the institution's position was clearly defined: "I think that if the owner of the club speaks so clearly as he did, I believe there is no more to say. This is like in trials: there is no case".

The coach also explained why he decided not to include Álvarez in the squad for the Madrid team's debut. "We tried to take care of the player and wait for him to be fit to play", he noted, while emphasizing the importance of preserving the footballer amid the context he is going through.

The forward's absence occurred after a late return to training following his vacation and amid reports of his intention to force a departure. According to information that emerged in Spain, Barcelona appeared as the main interested party due to the need to incorporate a center forward after the departure of Ferran Torres to PSG and the exit of Robert Lewandowski to Chicago Fire.

The Catalan club was also awaiting a meeting between Álvarez and Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, the top official of Atlético, which was supposed to determine if there was room to open negotiations. However, Cerezo's latest statements once again place the Madrid institution in an inflexible position.

Thus, despite Barcelona's interest and the desire expressed by the player himself, everything indicates that Julián Álvarez will continue for at least one more season at Atlético de Madrid. Now, the challenge will be to put the conflict behind him and find his best version on the field.

Julián Álvarez's numbers at Atlético de Madrid

Since his arrival at Colchonero in mid-2024, the native of Calchín has played 7,516 minutes, distributed over 106 matches, in which he scored 49 goals, provided 17 assists, and received 8 yellow cards.