Atlético Madrid just gave Julián Alvarez the strict ultimatum Arsenal fans were waiting for

Atletico Madrid are pushing for the situation involving Julian Alvarez to be resolved by Friday at the latest, according to a report by The Independent.

Alvarez has made it clear to the club that he prefers a move to Barcelona, which is something that the Rojiblancos have not approved in the slightest. Arsenal, on the other hand, have been quietly preparing for a move of this calibre for a few weeks, and if Alvarez opens the door for a move back to England, Arsenal will be the overwhelming favourites to acquire his services.

That has obviously not happened yet, but this reported ultimatum will definitely help Arsenal's case as they look to strengthen their attack this summer.

Despite there only being a week left in the transfer window, Arsenal may need to complete deals for a possible winger if Gabriel Martinelli leaves - which is looking likelier as we speak - as well as Alvarez if a possibility opens up.

This ultimatum is excellent news for Arsenal. It pushes Alvarez to make a decision on his future as soon as possible, and knowing fully well that Arsenal have the funds to make a deal like this happen, it is clear that Atletico Madrid would prefer selling it to the team that knocked them out of the Champions League last season over their domestic rivals.

It also says in the report that both Atletico Madrid and Arsenal know that Barcelona cannot spend 150 million euros on signing Alvarez in any case, which also strengthens the Gunners' chances of landing the star striker.

It has also been made clear to the Argentinian that if he joins Arsenal, the attack will be built around him, which is not something that Alvarez enjoyed at Atletico last time around.

At this time, Alvarez has not opened the doors to a return to England, but he will be pushed to make a decision very soon because Atletico also want to sign any possible replacements in plenty of time.

It does not seem likely that Alvarez will play a lot of football if he ends up staying put in the capital of Spain, as he was booed by Atletico fans with every single touch on the ball, which is not an environment that a player can continue playing for the same club in.

It will be an interesting and possibly exciting end to the transfer window for Arsenal fans, with a decision on a number of transfers still looming.

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