Julian Alvarez remains one of the most sought-after forwards in world football, with the Argentina international at the centre of another transfer saga as Europe’s biggest clubs continue to monitor his situation at Atletico Madrid.
Liverpool have regularly been credited with an interest in the 26-year-old, while Barcelona appeared to come closer than anyone to securing his signature with reports stating that the forward had even agreed to sign a five-year contract with the club.
Barcelona had made Alvarez their priority attacking target after the departure of Robert Lewandowski, with the striker also publicly indicating that a move to Barcelona represented a dream destination.
However, politics between the two Spanish rivals have proved a major stumbling block.
Diego Simeone’s side have been unwilling to strengthen a direct La Liga competitor and relations between the clubs has deteriorated as a result of Barcelona’s approach.
Atletico Madrid maintained a firm stance over Alvarez’s valuation despite the player’s desire to leave.
As a result, what once looked like a realistic move has stalled, opening the door for Premier League clubs once again.
That changing landscape now appears to have encouraged one English side to accelerate their pursuit.
According to The Independent, Arsenal are attempting to complete a deal for Alvarez before the start of pre-season, believing the level of competition for his signature has eased in recent days.
The report comes after Alvarez reminded everyone of his quality on the biggest stage last night, scoring a superb extra-time winner for Argentina in their 3-1 World Cup victory over Switzerland.
The striker curled an unstoppable long-range effort into the net to book his country’s place in the semi-finals and further underline why so many clubs remain interested.
Despite Arsenal’s renewed optimism, the deal is far from straightforward. Alvarez is said to be open to a move to north London, although his preference had been to remain in Spain with either Barcelona or Real Madrid.
Mikel Arteta has long viewed the former Manchester City forward as his priority attacking target, but the complexity of negotiations previously forced Arsenal to assess alternative options.
A key obstacle remains the transfer fee. Arsenal are reluctant to exceed £90 million, while Atletico Madrid continue to demand a figure north of £100 million.
Adding another layer to negotiations is the involvement of Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta, who is tasked with striking a deal against his former club.
With the World Cup nearing its conclusion and the transfer window beginning to gather pace, Alvarez’s future looks set to remain one of the biggest stories of the summer.
Whether Arsenal can bridge the gap with Atletico Madrid remains to be seen, but the race for one of Argentina’s brightest stars is far from over.
Liverpool’s long-standing interest means that the Reds are unlikely to take their eyes off the situation, particularly if negotiations begin to stall.
With one of Europe’s elite forwards potentially on the move, this transfer saga still appears to have plenty of twists left before the window closes.