£128m Arsenal target now more open to summer move
Sami Mokbel reports for the BBC that Julian Alvarez remains Arsenal’s dream summer transfer target, though they know it’s a long shot, given the player’s ongoing desire to join Barcelona. The only reason a deal is still possible is because Atletico Madrid won’t sell to Barca.
Mokbel adds that well-placed sources believe there has been a slight softening in Alvarez’s stance on an Arsenal move, though not yet enough to generate significant excitement. But if the player decides he’s open to a move in the final week of the window, the Gunners are ready to pounce.
Sources close to Alvarez insist he does want to leave Atletico, so if Barcelona are off the table, Arsenal may be the only realistic option.
Atletico director Mateu Alemany met with Arsenal last week, letting the club know they want a fee of €150m (£128.3m). The Gunners are confident they can finance a deal and finalise the transfer if the player says yes.
Mokel also reports that Mikel Arteta is aware of the fact that Alvarez’s first-choice club is Barcelona, and that he still believes the striker would become fully invested and committed to the Arsenal project if he ends up joining.
Fabrizio Romano reports that Arsenal internally believe they can reach an agreement with Atletico, but they’ll only bid if the player opens the door to a move first.
James McNicholas reports for The Athletic that if Alvarez remains resolute that he’ll only join Barcelona, Arsenal will then need to decide whether to pivot to alternative targets like PSG’s Bradley Barcola. But it’s very late in the window to make something happen on that front.
Alvarez scored 20 goals and assisted a further nine for Atletico in 2025/26, and he has Premier League experience through his time playing for Manchester City.
Though the 26-year-old isn’t a consistent goalscorer on the level of an Erling Haaland, he’s excellent at bringing the best out of his teammates. The likes of Christos Tzolis and Bukayo Saka would surely benefit from having Alvarez alongside them.
And Alvarez’s goalscoring tallies since moving to Europe are still very solid, with the player scoring 17, 19, 29, and 20 in those four seasons. Those sorts of numbers plus a boost to Arsenal’s general play would undoubtedly make the striker a success in north London.
It’s just up to the player himself to say yes to the opportunity.
