Mikel Arteta thinks Arsenal can give Julián Alvarez what Man City couldn't
Mikel Arteta has worked in both London and Manchester, and he's using his knowledge of both cities to build a rapport with Julián Alvarez.
According to the reliable journalist Charles Watts, Arteta is very keen on Alvarez, and he has a vision to fit him into the squad. Having spoken with Alvarez personally, the Arsenal boss has addressed how living in London is different to living in Manchester.
Any Arsenal fans holding out for Alvarez to sign is in safe hands with agent Arteta.
We saw in the past how influential he is in selling a dream to a player. He did it with Declan Rice, so there aren't many players he can't convince.
By placing an emphasis on the geographical location of the club, Arteta is making a smart play. As excellent as Manchester is, with many viewing it as England's second capital, it's got a different feel to it than London.
Clubs based in London, or even near London, have a card that other teams don't. As the capital of England, it is a desirable place to live.
Oftentimes, it's understated how much of an impact a club's location can have on getting deals over the line. After all, players are human beings, too. They may seem completely motivated by money on the outside, but many players are family people too, so the commitment to play for a club also comes with moving your whole life to a new city.
Alvarez and his partner welcomed their son into the world this year. As a family man and father himself, Arteta would understand that this plays a big role in any decision Alvarez makes.
As it stands, there is no indication that Alvarez wants to sign for Arsenal. What we keep hearing from reports is that the preference from the player's perspective remains Barcelona.
To some, this is off-putting. It's nothing to blame Alvarez for, but it can be seen as a reason to move on from him entirely.
On the other hand, some Arsenal fans are hopeful that his mind can change. After all, Arsenal fans have been crying out for a world-class centre forward for years; Alvarez is certainly in that calibre.
No matter which way you look at it, the one thing everybody can agree on is that the situation is complex.
With a week remaining in the transfer window, I guess we'll see what happens, right? If this is the same Arsenal we know and love, we can guarantee it'll get interesting, to say the least.
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