Arsenal confident of Atletico Madrid Alvarez agreement
Arsenal are confident they can strike personal terms and a club-to-club agreement to sign Julian Alvarez if the Atletico Madrid forward chooses a Premier League move, TEAMtalk reports. With Barcelona still preferred but talks stalled and atltico madrid firm against selling to La Liga rivals, the Gunners say they are ready to move immediately.
Key Takeaways
- Sporting director Andrea Berta is in regular contact with Alvarez's representatives, per TEAMtalk.
- Arsenal's Alvarez pursuit is ring-fenced from the rest of their summer transfer budget.
- Reports say Barcelona have cooled on a deal after Atletico refused to sell to a domestic rival.
- A Gyokeres-related swap has been floated, but Arsenal remain reluctant to let the Swede leave.
- Atletico CEO Miguel Angel Gil has publicly insisted Alvarez will not be sold this summer.
Why are Arsenal so confident about Alvarez?
According to a TEAMtalk exclusive, Arsenal will move the moment Alvarez signals he wants the transfer. Sources say personal terms and an agreement with Atletico would not be a major obstacle for the Premier League champions.
The Gunners are prepared to break the British transfer record if required, though internally they believe any fee would land well below that threshold. The Alvarez plan sits separate from other attacking targets such as Athletic Club's Nico Williams, RB Leipzig's Yan Diomande or Paris Saint-Germain's Bradley Barcola.
Will Atletico Madrid block a move to Barcelona?
Alvarez has long preferred Barcelona, and talks between the Catalan club and Atletico have continued in recent days. TEAMtalk reports Atletico's hierarchy remain determined not to strengthen Barcelona or Real Madrid this summer—a stance that has lifted Arsenal's optimism.
Football365 cites Spanish reports that Barcelona have "given up" for now rather than wait indefinitely, with other striker options resurfacing. For more transfer and sports coverage in our wider newsroom mix, see Future Tech & AI Wonders.
Could Viktor Gyokeres be part of any Alvarez deal?
The London Evening Standard reports Cadena SER claims a package of about £51.7m plus Viktor Gyokeres is under strong consideration at Atletico. TEAMtalk, however, says Arsenal are far from convinced about selling Gyokeres after his first full season and title-winning contribution, preferring discussions around Gabriel Jesus or Gabriel Martinelli instead.
Complicating the picture, Atletico CEO Miguel Angel Gil has stated the club's position is clear: they do not want to transfer Alvarez and have rejected offers reportedly as high as €100m to €200m. That public hard line means any Arsenal breakthrough still hinges on the player forcing the issue—or Atletico softening.
What happens next in the Alvarez saga?
Barcelona president Joan Laporta and Alvarez's camp reportedly want clarity before the end of the month. Until Alvarez opens the door to a Premier League switch, Arsenal will not force the issue—but Berta's package is in place and the club is on standby.
If the Argentina international does walk away from his Barcelona ambition, north London believes it is best placed to complete one of the summer's biggest deals involving atltico madrid.