Diego Simeone insists Atlético Madrid’s position on Julián Álvarez has not changed despite Barcelona‘s interest and the striker’s desire to leave.
Álvarez, 26, told ESPN during the World Cup that the “best outcome” for him and Atlético this summer would be a transfer, while Barça president Joan Laporta has confirmed the Spanish champions have bid for the Argentina forward.
However, Atlético CEO Miguel Ángel Gil Marín has said the club plan to retain Álvarez, a message backed up by Simeone on Saturday.
“The situation is very clear,” Simeone said in a news conference. “The club took a decision which Miguel Ángel explained well.
“We are very happy with Julián. From the sporting side of things, we will help him keep growing and improving so that he can give us what he has given us over these two years at the club so far, which was a mountain of things.”
Read more:Why England vs. Argentina is World Cup’s best, angriest, most chaotic rivalry
Álvarez is due to return to Atlético training next week following time off after helping Argentina reach the World Cup final.
He does so to the backdrop of constant speculation about his future, with Barça keen to sign him to replace Robert Lewandowski, who has joined Chicago Fire.
Barça’s interest could accelerate in the coming days with Ferran Torres, the other striker at the club, communicating his desire to join European champions Paris Saint-Germain.
PSG have also shown an interest in Álvarez in the past, along with Arsenal and Real Madrid, who claimed they had a €150m bid for the forward turned down in June.
Sources told ESPN Barça’s bid was worth around €100m, which Atlético did not even entertain at the moment it was made.
Atlético have reported Barça to FIFA and the Royal Spanish Football Federation [RFEF] for their pursuit of Álvarez, alleging they illegally approached the player without their permission.
Gil Marín believes Barcelona’s actions were behind Álvarez’s decision to tell ESPN in June that he wanted to leave Atlético to “fulfil a dream,” although he did not explicitly name Barça.
