Julian Alvarez's future at Atletico Madrid has been a topic of intense speculation during the summer transfer window, but it has now been confirmed that the Argentine forward will stay with the club at least until the January transfer window. The focus has now shifted to how Alvarez can re-establish his role within Diego Simeone's team. With three consecutive away games ahead, Simeone has the chance to gradually reintegrate Alvarez into the squad, away from the intense pressure of Atletico's home crowd. Simeone has consistently backed Alvarez through the uncertainty, describing him as "one of the players, or the best player, we have offensively." He emphasized his desire to "build a team around him," citing Alvarez's "power, quality, hierarchy and talent." This support has remained strong even as Alvarez faced difficulties upon his return to the team. Alvarez missed Atletico's opening game against Malaga after Simeone said he needed more training following his return to pre-season. He returned for the match against Villarreal but was booed by the club's fans when his name was announced during the warm-up and again when he came on in the second half. After the final whistle, while his teammates stayed on the pitch to thank the supporters, Alvarez walked alone down the tunnel. Simeone later clarified that the decision to keep Alvarez out of the game was the club's, not the player's. Alvarez then missed three consecutive training sessions due to an illness and was ruled out of Atletico's trip to Sevilla. Simeone confirmed his absence before the match but reiterated his support for the forward, stating he would do everything possible to make Alvarez feel important when he returned. Alvarez eventually returned to full group training, putting him back in contention for selection. Simeone considers Alvarez central to Atletico's plans, but the forward's response will now have to come on the pitch. Atletico has shown they can cope without Alvarez, as seen in their 3-1 victory against Sevilla, where Alex Baena stepped in and scored two goals. The biggest challenge for Alvarez is rebuilding his relationship with the Atletico supporters, who have shown frustration with his desire to move to Barcelona. Fans have made their feelings clear, with Alvarez being whistled and jeered during the opening weeks of the season. Some supporters believe his actions were poorly advised by his agent and that his apology may be perceived as insincere. Atletico paid a record £81.5 million to sign Alvarez from Manchester City in 2024, giving him a six-year contract and making him one of the biggest investments of Simeone's tenure. He has repaid some of that investment with 49 goals and 17 assists in 107 appearances and, for much of his time in Madrid, has enjoyed the support of the fans. The challenge now is to rebuild that connection. If Alvarez can start scoring goals, people may begin to feel anxious, but there are fans who never forget past transgressions, such as Antoine Griezmann's departure for Barcelona in 2019. Griezmann eventually rebuilt his relationship with the fans through his performances and commitment. Simeone will look to Alvarez to take on more responsibility, not only by scoring goals but also by leading the press, creating space and bringing others into the game. He will have little time to find his rhythm before the Champions League begins. Atletico faces a demanding run of fixtures, including away games against Athletic Club, Liverpool and Real Sociedad, before returning home to face Osasuna and then Real Madrid in La Liga. If Alvarez can reproduce the form that made him an important figure at Atletico, the events of the summer may gradually fade into the background.