Atletico Madrid has changed their views on Julian Alvarez's future and is ready to sell the Argentine striker to Arsenal. However, Alvarez still wants to join Barcelona, a team considered his priority.
Alvarez once publicly expressed his desire to leave Atletico during the 2026 World Cup. Barcelona made a 100 million Euro offer earlier this summer but was rejected. Atletico even sent a complaint to FIFA, accusing the Catalan team of illegally approaching players.
Having declared that Alvarez would stay in Madrid for another season, but coach Diego Simeone seems to have had to change his mind. According to Spanish media, Atletico realizes that the situation is no longer resilient and accepts letting the 26-year-old striker leave.
Notably, Atletico is ready to negotiate with Arsenal, even considering the option of exchanging players with Viktor Gyokeres. However, the problem lies with Alvarez himself. The former Manchester City striker does not want to return to England and still prioritizes Barcelona.
Alvarez once left Man City to join Atletico in 2024. After two seasons in Spain, he is said to want to find a new challenge and Barcelona is the destination that this player desires.
I have talked to people at the club and people I need to talk to. The best thing for everyone is transfers and I want to realize my dream" - Alvarez shared in June.
Barcelona once tried to bring Alvarez to Camp Nou, but the price Atletico requested was a big obstacle. The Madrid team previously affirmed that they would only accept letting the Argentine striker leave if a club activated a release clause of up to 500 million Euros.
Miguel Angel Gil Marin, Atletico CEO, once declared that the club does not want to sell Alvarez and rejected the possibility of accepting offers of 100, 150 or even 200 million Euros.
However, the current situation is different. Atletico seems ready to seek solutions for Alvarez's future, while Arsenal emerges as a more realistic option than Barcelona in terms of finance.
For Arsenal, Alvarez is the number one target to strengthen the attack. Mikel Arteta still wants to add a quality striker and the Argentine international meets many professional requirements. Alvarez can play in the center forward position, while operating widely and participating in the process of building the playing style.
Arsenal's biggest difficulty lies in persuading Alvarez to change his choice. This striker has clearly expressed his desire to stay in Spain and wear the Barcelona shirt. Therefore, although Atletico is willing to sell, the deal still cannot progress if the player does not agree.
Barca is also considering the financial problem. After recruiting Rodri from Manchester City and some other new players, the Catalan team is not easy to meet the fee that Atletico requires. That opens up opportunities for Arsenal, but also puts Arteta in front of a difficult task.
Alvarez did not participate in Atletico's La Liga opening match against Malaga. Simeone explained that the striker has not reached his best physical condition after a period of rest due to participating in the World Cup with Argentina.
Atletico will play this weekend when welcoming Villarreal. Alvarez's presence has not yet been determined. In that context, the future of the Argentine striker continues to be one of the most notable stories in the transfer market.
