Atletico Madrid star Julian Alvarez is still being linked with a move to Arsenal following the summer transfer window
Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid
Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid(Image: Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
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Arsenal are once again being linked with a move for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, with the Gunners’ plans for the months ahead beginning to emerge. Alvarez was a target at the Emirates Stadium in the summer, but ended up remaining with the La Liga giants.
Barcelona also expressed a strong interest in signing Alvarez, but Atletico made it clear that they would not be selling the Argentina star to their Spanish top flight rivals.
Reports emerged claiming that Alvarez was valued by Atletico at around £128million, with Arsenal in the mix as expressing an interest in signing the talented forward.
However, it seems that the 26-year-old preferred a move to Barcelona if he was to leave Atletico, which left the Gunners facing an uphill task in being able to get a deal over the line.
There has now been an update on Arsenal’s plans going forward with the possibility of another pursuit of Alvarez in the future.
The Evening Standard have reported that Arsenal could revisit a move for Alvarez in the January transfer window, but not on a permanent deal.
Due to Alvarez being regularly named on the bench rather than the starting line-up for Atletico so far this season, it has been reported that a loan deal could become possible for the Gunners when the New Year arrives.
A separate report from Spanish news outlet El Confidencial has claimed that Atletico’s director of football, Carlos Bucero, secretly explored the possibility of agreeing a deal with Barcelona for Alvarez.
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It has been claimed that Atletico’s hierarchy was unaware of this, which “sparked great anger” within the La Liga club, and led to the proposal being rejected.
As a result, Alvarez remains an Atletico player and faces an uncertain future as the extended international break now takes place.
Alvarez has only made just four appearances for Atletico so far this season and is yet to be named in the starting line up for a La Liga match by manager Diego Simeone.
The forward has also been forced to recover from a muscle injury earlier this month, which forced him to miss two matches, but he did make his return with a cameo against Real Madrid at the weekend in La Liga.
Arsenal signed one forward in the summer transfer window with Christos Tzolis arriving from Club Brugge, but did sanction the exits of Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus.