Julián Álvarez’s Form Collapse at Atlético Madrid Alerts Liverpool and Chelsea

Despite an explosive start to the 2025/26 LaLiga season with Atlético Madrid, Julián Álvarez's form has dramatically collapsed, sparking intense interest from Premier League giants Liverpool and Chelsea.[1][2]

Álvarez, the 25-year-old Argentine World Cup winner dubbed 'La Araña,' began the campaign heroically amid Atlético's rocky opening. After just two wins in their first five matches, he ignited the team, scoring six goals and providing one assist to become one of LaLiga's top scorers, trailing only Kylian Mbappé's eight.[1] His highlights included a consolation goal in a 2-1 loss to Espanyol, a hat-trick in a thrilling 3-2 home win over Rayo Vallecano, and a double in a dominant 5-2 derby demolition of Real Madrid—his fifth goal against them in Europe (one with Manchester City, four as a Colchonero).[1] An assist to Pablo Barrios against Villarreal further showcased his impact.[1]

A YouTube compilation of his top 20 goals for Atlético from 2024-2026 underscores his earlier brilliance, featuring strikes against Celta Vigo, Athletic Bilbao, Barcelona, Valencia, Sparta Prague, Lille, Bayern Leverkusen, Real Sociedad, Real Madrid, Espanyol, and more.[4]

However, recent months tell a starkly different story. Álvarez ended 2025 with 11 goals in 23 appearances, but his inconsistent away form drew fan scrutiny and even pointed comments from manager Diego Simeone, who addressed his dry spell after a win over Girona.[2] Current stats show just 1 goal in 1 recent match, signaling a sharp downturn.[3] Despite this, Transfermarkt values him at €100 million, the highest for any Argentine, ahead of Enzo Fernández, Lautaro Martínez, and Alexis Mac Allister.[2]

This slump has alerted Liverpool and Chelsea, who see a prime opportunity to lure the versatile forward back to England. Atlético's struggles to integrate him fully under Simeone, combined with his proven Premier League pedigree at Manchester City, position the clubs to capitalize on his frustrations. As Álvarez's dream start sours, transfer rumors intensify ahead of the January window.[2]

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