Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard has spoken about Arsenal's pursuit of a summer transfer target
Steven Gerrard
Steven Gerrard has discussed Arsenal missing out on a transfer target(Image: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista, Getty Images)
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Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has admitted he was delighted to see Arsenal fail in their pursuit of Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez. Mikel Arteta's side bolstered their ranks during the summer transfer window but were unable to seal a headline-grabbing deal for a top-tier forward.
The Gunners showed interest in Morgan Rogers before he opted for Chelsea and also set their sights on an ambitious swoop for Vinicius Junior, who subsequently penned a fresh Real Madrid contract. Meanwhile, Alvarez, who made his first start of the season in Atletico's 2-1 loss to Liverpool on Wednesday, remained firmly on Arsenal's radar throughout the summer.
The Argentine forward had made no secret of his wish to leave for Barcelona. Atletico refused to sanction the sale of the 26-year-old to a fellow La Liga rival, a stance that could have opened the door for Arsenal, yet they were unable to lure Alvarez to the Emirates Stadium.
Liverpool have been linked with moves for Alvarez in the past, initially ahead of him leaving Manchester City in 2024 and again last year before the Reds signed Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak. While Arsenal have made an impressive start to the new campaign without the Argentine forward, former Liverpool captain Gerrard could not hide his happiness at the Gunners' failure to land Alvarez.
Speaking about Alvarez's transfer saga on TNT Sports, Gerrard said: "I understand his point of view but Atletico Madrid don't want to strengthen a rival and be a feeder club to the teams you can compete domestically with and in the Champions League, so you can understand it from a club point of view as well. I'm just glad he didn't go to Arsenal, I'll just leave that one there!"
Alvarez assisted Marcos Llorente's opener at Anfield before goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister gave Liverpool the lead, earning three points for Andoni Iraola's side. Gerrard spoke glowingly about the Atletico striker, highlighting why the Reds icon was glad Arsenal missed out on their target, but acknowledged the transfer saga could continue to impact him.
"I think he's got the manager's trust and the manager's backing and a goal and a good performance can obviously change a lot of things," Gerrard continued. "But it will still be in the back of his head that maybe the chance of his dream move is gone and could be gone forever.
Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid
Julian Alvarez played the full match against Liverpool in the Champions League(Image: Mateo Villalba/Getty Images)
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"But he's a top player, very exciting, very clever and it's no shock that he's wanted around the world. He's a goalscorer, he's inventive; I love watching him."
The former Man City star will now aim to cement his place in Simeone's side and build on his record of 49 goals in 109 appearances. Ahead of facing Liverpool, Atletico president Enrique Cerezo declared that the forward's future was no longer a concern but conceded that the transfer saga had taken a toll on Alvarez.
He said: "I see him doing well. It's just that after recent events, the truth is, the person suffers and one is worried but I believe his recovery is progressing well and when the manager deems it appropriate, he'll be back in the game. The Julian case is closed."