Arsenal will look to sign 26-year-old Argentine international Julian Alvarez from La Liga club Atletico Madrid next year.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Julian Alvarez has also been the subject of interest from Barcelona this year. The reigning La Liga champions were eager to bolster their offensive unit by signing a striker in the final days of the summer transfer window, but the latest update suggests that the move for the 26-year-old Atletico Madrid forward may have collapsed after they signed Gabriel Jesus.
Meanwhile, per Fichajes, Arsenal will return with a new bid to sign Alvarez from Atletico Madrid in the winter transfer window. The Premier League champions are ready to offer €120 million to secure the services of the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner, though the report claims the Colchoneros have set a “high bar” to part ways with him.
Julian Alvarez and his time in La Liga spell so far
Julian Alvarez has blossomed into one of the world’s most productive strikers since joining Atletico Madrid from Manchester City in a surprise move in August 2024. Though inconsistency has blighted him at times, the 26-year-old has become a pivotal figure for Los Rojiblancos in the last two seasons.
The Argentine international has scored 49 goals and provided 17 assists in 108 outings for Atletico Madrid thus far, contributing to a goal every 115 minutes. With such solid numbers, it is hardly surprising that Alvarez has provoked interest from several high-profile clubs, with Arsenal among the prospective suitors vying for his signature.
A man in demand
Arsenal pursued Julian Alvarez as a versatile attacking option in the summer transfer window, despite having multiple strikers in the squad. However, Gabriel Jesus’s long-term future was uncertain for large stretches, and reports even suggested that the Gunners were ready to sell Jesus and Kai Havertz to fund a bid for Alvarez.
Jesus eventually joined Barcelona, thus creating a vacancy for a new striker, particularly with Viktor Gyokeres struggling to make his mark in the early days of the 2026/27 season. While Kai Havertz has been impressive thus far, Gyokeres faces an uncertain future at the Emirates, with recent reports suggesting Arsenal will cash in on the Swede if they can bring in an upgrade.
Alvarez will be that upgrade, which may pave the way for Gyokeres’s departure from the Emirates. However, despite Arsenal’s continued interest, a bid worth €120 million will not be enough due to Atletico Madrid’s asking price having a “high bar”, per Fichajes.