Arsenal are intensifying their pursuit of Julian Alvarez, with reports from Goal.com and Sky Sports confirming the Gunners are attempting to complete the deal before pre-season training begins. Mikel Arteta has identified the Atletico Madrid striker as his primary attacking target this summer after PSG cooled their interest and Barcelona were rebuffed by Atletico's refusal to sell within Spain.
The Valuation Gap
The sticking point is money. Arsenal have reportedly capped their bid at around GBP 90 million, while Atletico want north of GBP 100 million for the Argentina World Cup captain. Alvarez has been brilliant in La Liga since joining from Manchester City in 2024 — 20 goals and 9 assists last season — and Atletico are not in a desperate position to sell.
Why Arsenal Want Him
Arteta needs a centre-forward who can hold the ball, combine with wide players, and score consistently at the highest level. Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus have not provided the reliability Arteta craves. Alvarez has Premier League experience from his time at City and the physical profile to lead the line in a high-pressing system. He already knows English football.
Player's Preference
Early reports suggested Alvarez does not want to go to London. However, more recent sources suggest that stance has softened as Arsenal made their interest concrete. His agent is understood to be pushing Atletico to open negotiations. The Argentina captain's World Cup performances against England and in the semi-final will only raise his market value further if Argentina progress.
Source: Goal.com, Sky Sports, ESPN. Image: Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0.
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