Álvarez returns to Atlético training while Barcelona remain outside a locked door

Three missed training sessions, an individual workout and no place in the squad against Sevilla. A full transfer storm had gathered around Julián Álvarez, but on Sunday the Argentine returned to Atlético Madrid training. Barcelona have therefore received the latest update: the player is back at work, while the club that owns him still refuses to talk.

Reuters reported Álvarez’s return. The striker missed three group sessions late last week, with Atlético consistently describing the reason as an indisposition. He trained alone in Majadahonda on Friday before being left out of the squad for Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Sevilla.

Álvarez was back in training on Sunday. It is the first concrete change after several days in which each absence was interpreted as another indication that his departure could be approaching.

Before the Sevilla match, Mateu Alemany insisted Atlético’s plan was clear. The club’s director of men’s professional football said Álvarez had not been feeling well but was expected to return quickly and become available for their next LaLiga fixture. Alemany also said he had continued to speak with the striker normally.

Returning to training does not settle every issue, but it allows Atlético to regain control of the story. For several days, the player’s absence fuelled speculation and created the impression that the situation was moving towards a breaking point. The club can now return to its established position: Álvarez was unwell, he has resumed work and should soon be available to play.

Very little has changed for Barcelona. During the World Cup, the Argentine publicly spoke about his dream of playing for the Catalan club. His preference, however, has not been enough to begin negotiations. Atlético chief executive Miguel Ángel Gil Marín accused Barcelona of acting dishonestly and stated that Álvarez would not be sold to them.

This is not simply a case of Atlético waiting for a higher bid. The Madrid club have presented it as a matter of their position, their relationship with Barcelona and their own credibility. Barça may have money, a sporting project and a vacancy in attack, but they still need somebody to sit on the other side of the table. That chair remains empty.

Sources cited by Reuters consider Arsenal the only realistic alternative if the Premier League club submit an offer of around €150 million. Even that route is far from guaranteed. Atlético are not under pressure to sell, while Álvarez has previously suggested that Barcelona, rather than a return to England, is his preferred destination.

The Spanish transfer window closes on Tuesday. There is little time left, and Álvarez’s return to training reduces the pressure on Atlético. Every day without formal talks works in the Madrid club’s favour. They can simply reach the deadline and reintegrate the striker into the team.

Barcelona can continue watching and hoping for a sudden turn. Atlético, meanwhile, are watching their own player train. Only one of those clubs currently has Álvarez exactly where it wants him.