'Astonishing' Julian Alvarez praised for his 'enormous sacrifice' but ex-Man City star Sergio Aguero refuses to fuel Barcelona transfer talk

Alvarez has been identified by Barcelona as a long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski. Having grown up idolizing Lionel Messi at Barcelona, Alvarez is seen as someone for whom agreeing personal terms would not be difficult. Other names such as Erling Haaland, Serhou Guirassy and Etta Eyong have been discussed, but with it being an election year at Barcelona, Alvarez presents the strongest credentials for club president Joan Laporta.

Alvarez joined Atletico Madrid from Manchester City for €75 million (£65m/$84m) in search of more first-team opportunities after being second choice to Haaland. In his first season, he scored 24 goals and provided five assists across all competitions, helping Atletico secure third place in La Liga. However, Atletico were eliminated from the Champions League by rivals Real Madrid in a penalty shootout, amid controversy over Alvarez allegedly double-touching the ball before his penalty, which he then missed on the retake. The club also reached the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, narrowly missing out on the final after a 5-4 aggregate defeat.

Alvarez has enjoyed a red-hot start to the 2025-26 season, scoring seven goals and providing three assists across all competitions. Despite being accused of bad-mouthing Diego Simeone, Alvarez dismissed the claims, saying it was merely frustration after being substituted. Now, former Argentina and Atletico striker Sergio Aguero has praised Alvarez for his performances this season.

In an interview with Stake, Aguero dismissed talk of a transfer for Alvarez and encouraged fans to enjoy watching the player, saying: “Atletico Madrid should enjoy having him on their side, and so should the fans. I wouldn't speculate on future signings; I think this is the time to enjoy his achievements with Atletico.”

He also praised Alvarez’s performances and versatility, adding: “What Julian has achieved is astonishing. A player with the ability to move all over the pitch, he demonstrates an enormous level of sacrifice and talent.”

Aguero joined Atletico Madrid in 2006 and formed a formidable strike partnership with Uruguayan legend Diego Forlan. During his time at the club, he scored 101 goals and provided 47 assists in 234 appearances across all competitions. He helped Atletico win the 2009-10 Europa League title after defeating Fulham in the final. The following season, they qualified for the UEFA Super Cup and defeated Champions League winners Inter 2-0, with Aguero scoring in the 83rd minute.

Aguero later moved to Manchester City, where he won the Premier League under Italian coach Roberto Mancini, famously scoring a last-minute winner against Queens Park Rangers to cement his legendary status at the club. He went on to win five more titles under Manuel Pellegrini and Pep Guardiola, scoring 260 goals and providing 65 assists in 390 appearances before moving to Barcelona. However, due to a heart condition, Aguero was forced to retire prematurely from football in 2021.

Alvarez will hope to emulate Aguero’s success at Atletico and win trophies in Europe as Atletico face Arsenal today in the Champions League. The Spanish side started their campaign with a 3-2 loss away to Liverpool, conceding a last-minute goal from Virgil van Dijk. They bounced back with a 5-1 win against Eintracht Frankfurt, with Alvarez scoring in the 82nd minute. Arsenal will pose a stern challenge, while Atletico aim to finish in the top eight and secure direct qualification to the round of 16.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Alvarez emphasized the need to be more solid defensively while remaining sharp in attack:

"We're doing very well, but we need to be more decisive in away games. We also need to improve defensively so they don't concede, and then be sharp in attack so we can win games."