Julian Alvarez
Madrid, Spain – September 27, 2025: La Liga match between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid played in the Spanish capital. Atletico Madrid players. Football derby. EA Sports League.
Arsenal’s position in the race for Julián Álvarez has been reinforced by fresh comments from Spanish journalist Guille Casquero, while Chelsea appear to sit a tier below in the current hierarchy of interest.
Speaking to AS about the striker’s situation, Casquero was clear about which clubs are pushing hardest. He said: “I know Barcelona want him, Arsenal want him and PSG want him. Those three want him firmly.”
So, Arsenal were explicitly placed among the clubs with firm intent. Chelsea were not mentioned in that group.
This aligns with what we havecovered from Argentina regarding the north London side. Arsenal have already shown concrete financial ambition with a €100m (£85m) plus €20m (£17m) proposal that Atlético Madrid rejected. That move put them in direct confrontation with the Spanish club’s stance.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have been linked through advanced contacts, but without the same level of public financial commitment. Casquero’s framing suggests Arsenal are viewed externally as a more decisive actor in this race.
Atlético aware of pressure amidst Arsenal interest
Julián Alvarez
Julián Alvarez
Casquero also made clear that Atlético are fully aware of the level of attention around their forward.
He said: “I know that Atlético Madrid know that Barcelona, Arsenal and PSG, in that order in my opinion, are very, very attentive to Julián.”
However, the situation is not straightforward for any suitor. Crucially, Casquero offered insight into Álvarez’s mindset.
“Knowing Julián and knowing his family, Madrid suits him very well. He loves living in Madrid and I think he wants things to go very well for him at Atlético Madrid.”
He continued: “He does not want to leave without being a recognised champion at Atlético. That has happened at every club he has been at and he does not want to break that streak.”
In fact, Casquero went as far as saying: “I am sure he wants to succeed at Atlético before going anywhere else.”
That nuance matters for Arsenal and Chelsea alike. While Arsenal have demonstrated financial strength and are clearly regarded as a firm contender, the player himself is not agitating for a move. However, the Gunners remain strongly positioned.
For Chelsea, the challenge appears greater. They are not named among the clubs pushing most firmly and currently look less forceful in the battle, subsequently they appear to be operating from further back in the queue.