Julián Álvarez has reportedly become frustrated after tense discussions with Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone, according to Argentine journalist César Luis Merlo. During the meeting, the forward made his wish to join Barcelona unmistakably clear, yet Simeone maintained that any decision lies with the club’s hierarchy and emphasised Atlético’s long‑term plan for his development. Despite that stance, Álvarez is said to believe Simeone holds enough influence within the organisation to approve a departure if he truly wanted to, and he allegedly views the coach as the main obstacle to the move.

The situation has left the player perplexed, particularly because Simeone was the driving force behind the campaign to sign him in the first place—a project Álvarez ultimately agreed to join. As uncertainty grows, the striker’s frustration highlights the widening gap between his ambitions and Atlético’s determination to keep him.