Simeone closes door on Álvarez: Argentine stays at Atlético

Diego Simeone has put an end to the Julián Álvarez saga. The Atlético Madrid boss confirmed that the Argentine's future is settled and he will stay at the club, dismissing the interest coming from Arsenal.

"If the club owner has expressed himself so firmly, there's not much more to add. It's like in court: the case is definitively closed," Simeone said in his press conference. The Atlético manager made clear that from the board's side there is no room for doubt about the striker's future.

Álvarez out of next match

Simeone also confirmed that Álvarez will not be available for the upcoming fixture as he is not in optimal physical condition. "We believe Julián is not yet in the necessary condition to play in this match. I hope that over the next four days he improves and we get closer to what we want," the manager stated.

From the Atlético dugout they stress that the focus now is "taking care of the person and the player" until he is in the best shape to keep showing the level he represents. With this statement of intent, Simeone closes any open door to an Álvarez exit this window, as reported by Fabrizio Romano.