Julian Alvarez has moved closer to Barcelona after Atletico Madrid received a bid for the forward that was reportedly turned down, and the Argentina international has now told the club he wants to make the switch to Catalonia. Sources involved in the potential deal say that is accurate, with interest also coming from Arsenal and PSG.
That development matters now because Arsenal are not yet in full transfer mode. Their immediate focus is on the Champions League final against PSG in Budapest, and only after that, once their players have headed off to the World Cup in North America, will attention turn to the summer market. When it does, Andrea Berta remains keen on Alvarez and has a personal history with the forward after bringing him to Spain, but the player’s preference has shifted the picture.
Alvarez is no ordinary target. He has already played in England and won two Premier League titles with Manchester City, which is part of why Arsenal have been watching his situation closely. He has 13 top-flight goals this season, and for a club looking to strengthen its forward options, that record makes him an obvious name to track. But the latest signals from Madrid point in one direction only: Barcelona.
The friction for Arsenal is plain enough. They want to improve in attack, yet Alvarez appears to want Barca only, and that leaves little room for a late change of heart unless Barcelona and Atletico cannot bridge the gap on price. Atletico are expected to resist over the transfer fee, and they have already knocked back one bid, so the next move will tell whether this becomes a drawn-out chase or a dead end for anyone not named Barcelona.
Arsenal are not looking at only one area, either. The club are also interested in Bournemouth striker Eli Junior Kroupi, as well as midfield reinforcements and a possible right-back addition, but Bournemouth sources said on Thursday that they will not sell Kroupi this summer ahead of their first-ever European campaign. They are under no pressure to move him on, want to keep building with him, Rayan and Alex Scott, and Scott has just been offered a new contract. Manchester City are among the clubs that like Kroupi too, and it would take up to £85million to prise him away.
For Arsenal, the next few weeks may decide whether Alvarez is a name to keep on the board or cross off. If Barcelona hold their ground and Atletico do the same on fee, Berta will have to turn fast to the other positions on his list. If not, the summer’s first major forward move may already belong to Spain.
