The latest headlines surrounding Arsenal as Mikel Arteta's side get ready to face Napoli in the Champions League
Julian Alvarez.
Julian Alvarez's behaviour has been revealed(Image: Cesar Ortiz Gonzalez/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Lautaro Martinez has shed light on Julian Alvarez's situation at Atletico Madrid after his recent behaviour emerged.
Mikel Arteta ultimately failed in his pursuit of the Argentina international, as the player expressed a strong desire to depart Madrid this summer. Alvarez was pushing for a move to La Liga rivals Barcelona, but Atleti immediately shut down the transfer.
Diego Simeone has stated that the striker has endured a "learning experience" throughout the saga and is returning to form for the Spanish giants. Meanwhile, Arteta's focus has solely been on his own side as they stormed to a joint-top position with Manchester City in the Premier League.
The Champions League now awaits with an away trip to Napoli next on the agenda. Here, football.london has the latest headlines surrounding the Emirates Stadium.
Alvarez behaviour comes to light
Alvarez is reported to be back to "new" following Arsenal and Barcelona's failed pursuits this summer. The Argentine forward was keen on a switch to Barca, with the Gunners also interested, yet neither transfer materialised.
The 26-year-old was absent from three consecutive training sessions due to illness and did not accompany the squad to face Sevilla. He returned in a 3-0 defeat to Athletic Club earlier in September and performed well despite constant jeers from Atleti supporters.
This commitment has now reportedly carried over into training, with AS claiming he is "a new Julian Alvarez." The Spanish publication stated that the forward participated in an intensive session which concentrated on pressure, ball circulation and 'stealing. '
Julian Alvarez of Atletico de Madrid (C) trains with his teammates during a training session at the Atletico de Madrid Training Complex in Madrid, Spain, on September 1, 2026.
Alvarez is reportedly feeling "new" in training as he shows his professionalism(Image: Alberto Gardin/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Alvarez is understood to have found the net during this training session and also completed extra work with a fitness coach to improve his conditioning while teammates stretched. Atleti boss Diego Simeone addressed the forward ahead of last weekend's fixture, stating that the 26-year-old will "learn more" from the experience.
Simeone said: "Julian Alvarez will be in the squad tomorrow. He's training well, and we expect the best from him, just as we do from all his team-mates. For me, life is full of opportunities, and Julian now has an opportunity. A lot of the time, we spend our lives judging.
"We need to worry less about that and learn more. I hope this has served as a learning experience for him. I hope he's happy and, as [Paulo] Futre [Atletico Madrid's director of football] told him yesterday in a lovely video... that he shows it by scoring goals."
World Cup winner reveals all
Julian Alvarez of Argentina (L) and Lautaro Martinez of Argentina celebrate (R) after scoring a goal during FIFA World Cup 2026 football match between Jordan and Argentina at AT&T Stadium Stadium (Dallas). Final score; Jordan 1:3 Argentina.
Lautaro Martinez has shared support for Alvarez(Image: Grzegorz Wajda/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
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Martinez has backed up Arsenal target Alvarez, offering solidarity to the striker amid his transfer saga. The fellow Argentina international has travelled to Madrid with Inter Milan to take on Real and outlined Alvarez's circumstances from his view.
The 29-year-old said: "I spoke with him, sent him a message, and showed him my support. Beyond the fact that we share the same position and competed for a spot on the national team, he's a friend.
"The situation he's going through and is going through isn't easy, but the decision is his clubs."
Praising Alvarez's ability, Martinez added: "I wish him all the best and hope he gets well soon and continues to show what he has shown so far, that he is one of the best players in the world."