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Julian Alvarez misses La Liga opener amid Arsenal transfer interest

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 18, 2026, 5:24 PM

Last updated Aug 18, 2026

Julian Alvarez misses La Liga opener amid Arsenal transfer interest

Summary

Julian Alvarez will not play in Atletico Madrid's La Liga opener against Malaga on Wednesday. Manager Diego Simeone confirmed that Alvarez is absent due to ongoing transfer speculation, mainly linking him to Arsenal and Barcelona. Alvarez reported back late from the FIFA World Cup and requires more training to improve his condition. Atletico has stated they will not sell to Barcelona, but Alvarez remains a target for Arsenal. His dream club is believed to be Barcelona, raising questions about potential financial arrangements for a deal.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

What We Know

•Julian Alvarez is absent for Atletico Madrid's La Liga opener.
•Diego Simeone commented on Alvarez's training needs and transfer talks.
•Arsenal and Barcelona are potential destinations for Alvarez.
•Atletico Madrid insists they won't sell to Barcelona.
•Alvarez's late return from the World Cup has delayed his participation.

Latest Updates

5:24 PMYahoo Sports — Arsenal target Julian Alvarez misses La Liga opener amid transfer speculation

What they're saying

"
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has confirmed Julian Alvarez will miss Wednesday's La Liga opener against Malaga as transfer speculation intensifies around the striker
— Yahoo Sports

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