Julian Alvarez's future at Atletico Madrid dominated headlines throughout the summer, but with the transfer window now shut, attention shifts to how the Argentina forward can re-establish himself under Diego Simeone.

The 26-year-old made no secret of his desire to join Barcelona, and that admission has left a fractured relationship with the Atleti fanbase — one that will take considerably more than good intentions to repair.

Simeone's unwavering public support

Throughout the uncertainty, Simeone has stood firmly behind Alvarez. In August, the manager described him as "one of the players, or the best player, we have offensively" and spoke of wanting to "build a team around him," citing the forward's "power, quality, hierarchy and talent."

That backing has not wavered. When Alvarez missed Atletico's opening fixture against Malaga — Simeone citing a need for further pre-season preparation — the manager continued to defend his player publicly. After the difficult night against Villarreal, when Alvarez was booed by the home support from the moment his name was announced, Simeone clarified that the decision to send the player directly to the dressing room after the final whistle was the club's, not Alvarez's own choice.

A subsequent illness kept Alvarez away from three training sessions and ruled him out of the trip to Sevilla. Again, Simeone made clear he would do everything possible to make the forward feel valued on his return: "We will help him because he is an extraordinary player."

Alvarez returned to full group training on Sunday and is back in contention for selection.

Atletico can cope — but Alvarez offers something different

In Alvarez's absence at Sevilla, Simeone deployed Alex Baena in a false-nine role. The Spain international responded with two goals in a 3-1 victory, demonstrating that Atletico possess credible alternatives in attack. Even so, Alvarez represents a different profile — a pressing leader capable of linking play, creating space, and carrying the kind of individual quality that Simeone builds his offence around.

Jose Mourinho, asked about the situation, pointed to Simeone's unrivalled knowledge of both player and club. "There's no other manager that knows him better and knows the club better than Simeone," he said. Mourinho also offered a blunt assessment of the broader picture: "If a player is not satisfied, by 1 September, when the window is closed, he has to be. Otherwise, he won't play again until 1 January."

The challenge of winning back the fans

Perhaps the steepest obstacle Alvarez faces is repairing his bond with the Atleti supporters. Atletico paid a record £81.5 million to sign him from Manchester City in 2024 on a six-year deal, and he has produced 49 goals and 17 assists across 107 appearances. For long stretches, he was a genuine fan favourite. That goodwill has now curdled.

"It's completely understandable that Atleti didn't want to agree to Barca's terms, just because he wanted to go there," supporter Dani said. "It doesn't just work like that. Atleti wants to compete with the best in La Liga and they can't just sell our best player directly to our rival for very little."

Another supporter, Ignacio, was equally candid: "His words and attitude were completely unexpected. He has probably been badly advised by his agent and those around him. Even if he apologises it is clear he has a desire to leave and, now that the window has closed, it will feel like a forced apology."

The shadow of Antoine Griezmann looms large. Griezmann's exit for Barcelona in 2019 left deep wounds, and while he eventually rebuilt his relationship with the club after returning two years later — becoming a key figure before departing in 2026 — some supporters never fully forgave him. Dani noted that even after Griezmann apologised in front of 60,000 fans at the end of last season, a portion of the fanbase still held a grudge.

"If he starts scoring goals, people will start feeling anxious," Dani said. "But then there's the fans who never forget."

A demanding road ahead

With three consecutive away fixtures on the horizon — against Athletic Club, Liverpool, and Real Sociedad — Simeone has the opportunity to reintegrate Alvarez gradually, away from the intense scrutiny of 70,000 fans at the Metropolitano. That breathing space could prove invaluable as the forward seeks to rediscover his rhythm ahead of the UEFA Champions League campaign.

Atletico will then return home to face Osasuna and Real Madrid in La Liga, by which point Simeone will expect Alvarez to be carrying the attacking burden with full conviction. If he can reproduce the form that made him so central to this team, the turbulence of the summer may, with time, fade into the background.