Julian Alvarez is set to rejoin Atletico Madrid's squad for their La Liga clash against Athletic Club on Saturday, manager Diego Simeone has confirmed — describing the striker's turbulent transfer window as a valuable "learning experience."

The Argentina international, 26, was absent from two training sessions last week, with illness cited as the official reason. The absences followed Atletico's private decision not to sell Alvarez to Barcelona, a move the player had reportedly pursued.

A potential switch to Arsenal, the reigning Premier League champions, had briefly offered another possible exit route, with the clubs holding direct talks. However, that too came to nothing, and Alvarez has since been integrated back into full training — having missed Atletico's league trip to Sevilla the previous weekend.

Simeone's message to Alvarez

Speaking ahead of Saturday's match, Simeone was measured but pointed in his assessment of the situation. "Julian Alvarez will be in the squad tomorrow. He's training well, and we expect the best from him, just as we do from all his team-mates," the manager said.

"For me, life is full of opportunities. And Julian now has an opportunity. A lot of the time, we spend our lives judging, and we need to worry about doing that less and learning more. I hope this has served as a learning experience for him."

Simeone also referenced a video message from Atletico Madrid director of football Paulo Futre, saying he hoped Alvarez would "show it by scoring goals."

A saga played out in public

Atletico released two official statements within 24 hours during the window, emphatically ruling out any transfer to Barcelona. The club's firm stance left Alvarez with limited options, as a move to their Spanish rivals was never going to be sanctioned.

The forward joined Atletico in 2024 for £81 million from Manchester City and has since scored 49 goals in 107 appearances. Despite that prolific return, he has yet to claim any silverware at the club.

Alvarez's form and goals will now be crucial as Atletico travel to Bilbao to face Athletic Club on Saturday, with kick-off scheduled for 15:15 BST.