Christophe Dugarry insults Julián Alvarez over exit stance

Julián Alvarez has come under a personal attack from Christophe Dugarry as debate continues over the Atlético Madrid forward’s future. Dugarry criticised the Argentina international and his representatives for publicly expressing a desire to leave the Spanish club, arguing that the approach had damaged Alvarez’s position with Atlético and its supporters.

Alvarez, 26, is under contract at Atlético, who do not intend to sell him to Barcelona. The centre-forward joined from Manchester City in the 2024-25 season for €75 million, and his current market value is listed at €120 million. He previously moved between River Plate and Manchester City, including a €21.4 million transfer from River to City in the 2021-22 season.

Speaking on RMC Sport’s Rothen s’enflamme, Dugarry said Alvarez had handled the situation poorly and now needed to work hard to repair the damage. The former 1998 World Cup winner also pointed to Antoine Griezmann’s experience at Atlético while questioning whether Alvarez understood the club’s leadership and the attitude of its supporters.

The remarks make Alvarez’s communication, rather than his performances, the immediate focus of the transfer discussion. Atlético’s position and the size of the investment in the player leave the dispute centred on how his relationship with the club can be managed.