Julián Álvarez tells Simeone again that he wants to leave Atlético de Madrid

Ten minutes. That's how long the conversation lasted that could define much of Julián Álvarez's future at Atlético de Madrid. It happened this Wednesday in a room at Cerro del Espino, the club's training facility, just before the forward stepped onto the field for the first time with his teammates following his return from the 2026 World Cup.

This was no ordinary chat. It was the first face to face meeting between Diego Simeone and his forward since Julián made clear to those around him, during the World Cup, that he wants to leave the club. And in that room, according to various sources consulted by ESPN, the Argentine held nothing back: he told Cholo directly, in person, about his desire to move on.

The scene carries plenty of intrigue on its own, but it needs context. Atlético already turned down an offer from Barcelona worth around 100 million euros weeks ago, and before that had done the same with a Real Madrid proposal worth 150 million. In Barcelona, in fact, they were waiting precisely for this meeting between Simeone and the player to take place before deciding their next move: Julián remains Hansi Flick's top priority to replace Robert Lewandowski.

Why did Julián seek out this conversation now? According to sources close to the player, he's been troubled by the media storm surrounding his situation and wanted to explain himself directly, without intermediaries. Simeone, according to those same sources, was warm and straightforward: he listened to the forward first, then told him he would help him on the sporting side, since he considers him a key piece of the project, but that any departure is a matter for the club to resolve.

That stance isn't new. The coach himself had already signaled as much publicly in Seoul, before the preseason friendly against Manchester City.

I'm going to help him on the sporting side so he keeps growing, keeps improving and keeps giving us the best he's given us these last few years, which has been an awful lot.Diego Simeone

A cordial relationship despite the tension

Julián, resigned, understood the response because, according to those around him, it was exactly what he expected to hear. Beyond the reports of recent months, the relationship between the two remains cordial. Whatever differences exist tend to be tactical rather than personal: the forward has had the occasional complaint about game plans, something the club chalks up to simple footballing nuances.

Those close to the Cordoba native have always appreciated Simeone's stance throughout the season, especially during the stretch when Julián went 119 days without scoring in La Liga, across 14 straight matches, and the coach never withdrew his trust. Wednesday's conversation ended with a handshake and a mutual commitment to keep acting professionally, as has been the case all along. Afterward, the two headed off to training together, without further incident.

Sources at Atlético described the meeting as "nothing out of the ordinary" given everything that's happened this summer. Julián's camp, meanwhile, is still hoping for some shift in position before the transfer window closes. But from Madrid, they insist on one point they don't plan to budge on: the forward will not be sold to Barcelona.