Arsenal could still complete a shock move for Atletico Madrid star Julian Alvarez this summer, according to manager Diego Simeone - with the Argentine confirming Arsenal's interest after reports that the Gunners were considering a move for the former Manchester City star.
Alvarez only joined Atletico last summer after two years at City, and recorded the greatest individual campaign of his career yet with 29 goals in 54 games for the La Liga giants. Although he failed to win a major trophy this season, he's shown he can in the past for both City and Argentina - and that could see Alvarez be the ideal target for Mikel Arteta, after being labelled as 'one of the best strikers in the world'.
Simeone Confirms Arsenal Interest in Julian Alvarez
Julian Alvarez has been in fine form for the Madrid-based outfit
alvarez atletico
The report by Atletico Universe on X (formerly Twitter) published quotes from Simeone, who acknowledged that the Gunners were one of the clubs in the race for Alvarez.
Julian Alvarez's La Liga statistics - Atletico Madrid squad ranking
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And although his claims were of pride, it was still a huge hint that Arteta has been in touch over prising him from the Spanish capital. Simeone said:
“It’s logical. I can’t imagine it any other way. Of course every top club wants him - Barcelona, PSG, Arsenal, Liverpool... all of them. And for us, for Atlético fans, it should be a point of pride that everyone wants him. Why? Because he’s ours. And since he’s ours, we need to protect him. We have to make sure he feels happy. And how will he feel happy? By winning. And to get there, we all need to give 110%. Not just for him, of course - for everyone.
"He is 25 years old, an extraordinary player - hungry, humble, hardworking, a goalscorer, and full of class.”
It's a glowing rendition from his boss, who clearly would not like to lose his compatriot after such a strong campaign in La Liga and the Champions League at the Metropolitano - but by registering Arsenal's interest, it's clear that Arteta is considering various avenues when it comes to particular strikers.
Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres are the two names they'll be in the market for, especially Sesko, who has been a revelation at RB Leipzig at such a young age.
Reports last week suggesting that the club had taken a further step towards confirming his signing, yet there hasn't been an update yet - and that leaves the door ajar for Alvarez to make the switch back to the Premier League.
Statistics courtesy of WhoScored. Correct as of 11-06-25.
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