Rumours from Spain state that Julian Alvarez has categorically rejected joining Arsenal, with Barcelona remaining his preferred destination.
A new twist in the Julian Alvarez saga has emerged, as a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes has claimed the Argentine attacker has categorically rejected the idea of joining Arsenal. The Premier League champions had rekindled their interest in the forward, who continues to prefer a switch to Barcelona as his priority, but Atletico Madrid are reluctant to sell him within La Liga.
The Julian Alvarez saga will take centre stage once the forward finishes the World Cup with Argentina. The attacker has been the subject of intense interest within Spain, with Real Madrid and Barcelona seeing bids rejected by Atletico Madrid. The former made an offer worth €150 million, while the latter went up to €100 million.
The message from Atletico so far has been that they are uninterested in a sale to their domestic rivals, according to rumours in Spain. However, there are suggestions they could potentially be ready to sell him to Arsenal, which has piqued the English side’s interest in the case.
Arsenal’s renewed pursuit
Arsenal have recently become aware of the possibility of signing Alvarez, with some reports suggesting they may have even discussed the idea. An update by the reliable Ben Jacobs on X confirmed the interest and also mentioned that Barcelona remain in contact with the player, who may prefer to make the switch to Catalonia.
However, the report claims Alvarez has rejected the idea of joining Arsenal and would not want a return to England. The 26-year-old World Cup winner has already relayed his desire to leave Atletico in the summer, and it is only a matter of time before the club considers his future.
The validity of Alvarez’s stated rejection preference remains uncertain, though Arsenal continue to pursue the forward. It may eventually come down to whether Atletico are willing to consider offers from their La Liga counterparts, which does not appear likely at this point.
Why Arsenal view Alvarez as a striker target
Arsenal are ready to sell Gabriel Jesus and view Alvarez as a primary striker target. Earlier reports had suggested the idea of an exchange deal involving Viktor Gyokeres, but that may not materialise. The Gunners might see the 26-year-old World Cup winner as a replacement for the Brazilian attacker, and if they manage to bring him in as well as keep hold of the Swede, it would give them a formidable forward line.
More importantly, Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta was instrumental in bringing Alvarez to Atletico Madrid when he was at Manchester City. It could be a push from the Italian to reconnect with his camp and convince them to make the switch to the Emirates. Whether Los Rojiblancos will permit a departure remains the key question.
