Julian Alvarez Tells Mikel Arteta He Does Not Want Arsenal Move
Arsenal’s hopes of signing Julian Alvarez have suffered a major setback, with David Ornstein revealing that the Atletico Madrid striker has personally told Mikel Arteta that he does not currently want to move to the Emirates.
The Argentine has been heavily linked with the Gunners as the transfer window approaches its conclusion, but his preference has been to join Barcelona.
Atletico Madrid have closed the door on selling Alvarez to their La Liga rivals, potentially leaving Arsenal as an alternative should the 26-year-old decide he wants to leave the Spanish capital.
However, according to Ornstein, that has not yet convinced the striker to consider a move back to England.
Alvarez has spoken directly to Arteta
Speaking on TNT Sports, Ornstein explained that the chances of Alvarez joining Arsenal are currently low because the forward has had his heart set on Barcelona.
Crucially, Atletico would reportedly be prepared to do business with Arsenal, while the Gunners are also prepared to reach an agreement with the Spanish club.
The stumbling block is Alvarez himself.
Ornstein revealed:
“He’s spoken to Mikel Arteta and said he doesn’t want to come.”
“He’s spoken to Mikel Arteta and said he doesn’t want to come.”
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That would appear to represent a significant blow to Arsenal’s hopes, particularly given Arteta’s well-known desire to recruit players who genuinely want to become part of his squad.
Indeed, when Arteta was questioned about Alvarez ahead of Monday’s game against Aston Villa, he refused to discuss another club’s player but stressed more generally the importance of feeling that a potential signing has a genuine desire to join Arsenal.
Ornstein refuses to completely rule out an Arsenal move
The interesting part of Ornstein’s update, however, is that the door has not been completely closed.
He acknowledged that Alvarez’s position could potentially change before the transfer deadline and stopped short of saying that an Arsenal move was impossible.
For now, though, he stressed that the transfer is simply not progressing in the way some reports have suggested.
That leaves Arsenal facing a fascinating final few days of the window.
The clubs themselves seemingly aren’t the problem. Atletico are willing to discuss a deal with Arsenal and the Gunners are prepared to reach an agreement.
But Arsenal understandably don’t want to make such a huge commitment to a player unless Alvarez himself is convinced that the Emirates is where he wants to be.
Could Arsenal decide not to sign an alternative?
Perhaps the other significant part of Ornstein’s update concerned what Arsenal might do if Alvarez doesn’t change his mind.
The reporter suggested that Alvarez is the target for the Gunners and raised the possibility that, if Arsenal cannot get him, they may simply continue with the attacking options already available to Arteta rather than move for somebody else.
With the transfer deadline rapidly approaching, that potentially makes Alvarez’s decision one of the biggest remaining stories of Arsenal’s summer.
There is still time for his position to soften, as Ornstein himself stressed, but as things stand the message from the player appears clear.
Arsenal may be willing to sign Julian Alvarez.
Atletico Madrid may be willing to sell him to Arsenal.
Julian Alvarez, at least for now, does not want to come.
What do you think, Gooners? Should Arsenal continue trying to convince Alvarez until the deadline, or should the club immediately move on to another attacking target? Let us know in the comments.
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