Julian Alvarez to Arsenal transfer twist as Atletico Madrid agree shock summer exit
Julian Alvarez has not left Atletico Madrid and the transfer window is now shut(Image: Getty)
Atletico Madrid persuaded Julian Alvarez to stay by promising him Diego Simeone would soon leave. That's according to Spanish media personality Jota Jordi, who says the Arsenal target was told his manager would depart next summer.
Having become a key figure for Atletico, Alvarez became embroiled in a bitter transfer saga this window. He made his desire to move on clear during the World Cup and Real Madrid were the first to launch a £130million bid, but it was swiftly rejected. Atletico pointed to their player's £420m release clause.
Barcelona were soon confirmed as Alvarez's dream destination and official bids were submitted, but Atletico simply refused to sell to a direct La Liga rival. Because of this, the Gunners started courting the wantaway Argentine with Mikel Arteta supposedly pushing for a deal and even trying to call the 26-year-old.
Yet Alvarez only wanted the Camp Nou and refused to return to England for personal reasons. Instead, this bitter exchange, which saw officials from Atletico and Barcelona engage in a sharp public feud and a complaint to FIFA submitted, ended in a stalemate.
Now, the ex- Manchester City player must wait until the winter window at the earliest to leave Atletico. But Jordi, a panellist on the popular Spanish late-night television show El Chiringuito de Jugones, claims that Alvarez was told by his club to stay because manager Simeone will soon be gone.
Jordi claims that Simeone and Alvarez do not have a good relationship(Image: Getty)
Speaking after the transfer window closed, Jordi says that once Alvarez made it clear he wanted to leave, he was told: "Stay because Simeone won't be here next year."
"Congratulations, because you have managed to retain someone who doesn't want to be with you," he added, before alleging that the relationship between Simeone and Alvarez is very poor and that is the reason a supposed exit was used in bargaining.
Yet Simeone himself has said that he is building his Atletico project around Alvarez and the club's CEO, Miguel Angel Gil Marin, reiterated that the player is strictly not for sale. Nevertheless, the Barcelona-aligned Jordi also alleged that Atletico are unable to register new signings due to financial constraints, as he sent a sharp message to the club's hierarchy.
He said: "If you can't register players because you don't have money, despite having said that with Apollo (Apollo Sports Capital acquiring a roughly 55 per cent recent stake in the club in March), you were going to have plenty, well, congratulations to you.
"If you're happy to have someone who prioritises their ego over the company's success... Congratulations. For now, we'll talk again in January."
Fellow TV personality Juanma Rodriguez, who has defended Atletico throughout the summer ordeal, was furious with these claims and Jordi's messages.
The striker was heavily jeered by fans during his last Atletico appearance against Villarreal(Image: Getty)
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"Why did he stay at Atletico Madrid? Because he has a contract, sir! Show some respect!" he said. "You've been a pain in the neck from day one. You've destroyed the kid. You've mocked Atletico Madrid."
Jordi's claims are baseless, but only time will tell whether Simeone does depart and whether this throws a spanner in the works for Arsenal's plans to pursue Alvarez in the future.
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