Julian Alvarez warns Atletico Madrid he will not be relied on in push to join Barcelona

Julian Alvarez has told Atletico Madrid “you cannot rely on me” after he was unable to meet manager Diego Simeone to discuss his desire to leave the club and move to Barcelona.

The 26-year-old Argentina striker reportedly delivered the message to people at Atletico’s training complex after becoming increasingly frustrated by the failure to arrange talks with Simeone. According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Alvarez made clear on Monday that he would not change his position and that his current situation would have consequences.

Alvarez had wanted Simeone’s help in resolving the impasse surrounding his future. The forward is determined to pursue a transfer to Barcelona, a preference he had previously made public during the most recent World Cup.

However, when Alvarez discovered that Simeone was absent from the club, having travelled to Ibiza for a two-day holiday, he decided to make his position known to those at the training ground. Atletico chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin, another figure who could potentially help address the matter, was also unavailable because he was on holiday.

Mundo Deportivo reports that Alvarez had hoped to deal with the situation through direct conversation. Instead, he believes he was denied the opportunity to speak to the two people most capable of helping to resolve the dispute.

The striker is said to be particularly angry with Simeone, whom he believes did not show the courage required to confront the issue and meet him, despite being aware that Alvarez wanted a conversation. The player had not expected the manager to leave for Ibiza when his own presence at the training complex and his wish to hold talks were known.

Alvarez subsequently told those around him that his patience had run out. One of his clearest messages was: “You cannot rely on me.” He also insisted that he would not back down from his stance.

The next significant moment is expected on Wednesday, when Simeone is due to return and take charge of Atletico’s training. With the manager back at the Madrid club, Alvarez will expect him to listen directly to his concerns.

The Argentina international is maintaining that Atletico promised him in February that he would be allowed to leave during this summer’s transfer window. He is now intent on enforcing that understanding and is pushing strongly for a move to Barcelona.

Mundo Deportivo had previously reported that Alvarez preferred to resolve the matter through dialogue rather than confrontation. The failure to secure that meeting, followed by the absence of both Simeone and Gil Marin, has instead intensified the dispute and prompted the striker’s warning that he should not be considered available to Atletico.