Julian Alvarez with Arsenal and Barcelona badges
Julian Alvarez has been branded ‘an idiot’ over his public attempts to force an exit from Atletico Madrid, as Arsenal continue to pursue a big-money deal, while Barcelona and now Chelsea also wait in the wings.
The Argentina international went public with his desire to join Barca during the World Cup, a move that was completely shut down by Atletico, who remain determined not to sell to a LaLiga rival.
An increasingly toxic situation got even worse over the weekend when Alvarez was booed by his own supporters after coming off the bench in a 2-2 draw with Villarreal, before heading straight down the tunnel at the final whistle.
While the former Manchester City frontman continues to favour a move to the Camp Nou, he is aware that continues to look highly unlikely and is now open to a switch to the Gunners.
Reports on Monday evening even claimed that Chelsea have now entered the running for Alvarez, and are ready to open talks over a potential transfer.
However, former France World Cup winner Christophe Dugarry has questioned the 26-year-old’s conduct throughout the process of trying to force an exit, along with the advice he has received from his agents.
Dugarry told RMC: “The player and his entourage are idiots. How can you declare ‘I want to leave the club’. Is he stupid, or what?
“The best way to leave isn’t to do that. Shut up, be modest, be intelligent in your communication.
“Didn’t you see what happened with Griezmann? Don’t you know your management? Don’t you know your fans?
“A player who wants to leave should be allowed to leave. After that, it creates more problems than anything else.
“I also believe that there needs to be respect on both sides.
“The first thing to do when you want to try and reach an agreement is not to spit on your fans, on your club.
“The way you’re doing it, you’re completely off base and you’re going to get it back in your face.
“That kid’s going to have to work hard. He’s put a ball and chain on his ankle and it’s going to be difficult to turn things around. What a huge mistake!”
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Berta to play major role in Alvarez deal as Martinelli exit accelerates
Arsenal’s move for Alvarez may even have taken a step forward after it emerged that Gabriel Martinelli is closing in on a move to Al-Hilal for a fee in the region of £50-£55m.
The Brazilian is no longer considered a regular starter by Mikel Arteta and did not feature at all in the season-opening win over Coventry City.
While Martinelli previously turned down a switch to Galatasaray, it appears that he is now heading to the riches on offer in Saudi Arabia instead.
As for Alvarez, we can also reveal the hugely important role Gunners sporting director Andrea Berta will play in a proposed move for the Argentine.
Berta has a strong relationship with Atletico CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin, and sources can reveal that the pair have maintained frequent contact throughout the summer.
That relationship could now help facilitate a blockbuster deal, with Atletico themselves also preferring to deal with Arsenal over Barcelona, though the Gunners are not yet prepared to commit the huge money involved until Alvarez makes his preference clear.
Chelsea hijack Julian Alvarez to Arsenal as BlueCo get £65m boost
Chelsea hijack Julian Alvarez to Arsenal as BlueCo get £65m boost