Diego Simeone makes first public statement on Julian Alvarez future after transfer request

“He is an extraordinary footballer, the best player we have at Atletico Madrid; his numbers speak for themselves. He has shown great consistency and has made a real impact on the team, proving himself to be a special kind of player. We are very happy with his work; I can’t say anything other than what I’ve already told you, because he has conducted himself well as a person. He is a guy who has always worked in the best possible way for the good of the team,” he said to ESPN.

“EL MEJOR FUTBOLISTA QUE TENEMOS EN EL ATLÉTICO DE MADRID, ENTRE LOS MEJORES 5 DEL MUNDO ESTÁ SIN DUDAS. SI SE QUEDA TENEMOS PENSADO GENERAR EL JUEGO ALREDEDOR DE ÉL”

? ATENCIÓN: ¡El Cholo Simeone habló sobre el futuro de Julián Álvarez, destacó que se comportó bien como… pic.twitter.com/aB76pUqNoP

— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) July 3, 2026

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Diego Simeone meets with Julian Alvarez

Simeone went on to confirm that he spoke to Alvarez during a visit to the Argentina national team at their World Cup base, albeit not one specifically to see Alvarez.

“I actually ran into Giuliano and spent a little while chatting with him, mostly about how things were going for him, the state of his ankle, and his importance to the team. He told me he was doing really well and was back to 100%. I think that in the second match, regardless of not being as sharp as he usually is, he already showed a different rhythm of play and a different intensity in his movements, and Argentina is going to need that.”

“Things will be resolved, as they always are” – Simeone

The Atletico manager also made it clear that he sees Alvarez as a cornerstone of the team for many years to come, despite his desire to leave.

“He is the player around whom we plan to build our game. His future is, above all, tomorrow’s match; the best thing for him is to focus on that and not dwell on all these things that have surfaced, so they don’t cause him any confusion. And things will be resolved just as they always do in life.”

It seems tricky for Alvarez to continue at Atletico, following his statements, which have turned many fans against him. Nevertheless, it would not be the first time that Simeone has helped reintegrate a shunned star, with Antoine Griezmann before him actually making the move to Barcelona before earning back the love of the fans.