Chelsea have entered the race to sign Argentine forward Julian Alvarez, holding preliminary talks with Spanish club Atletico Madrid during a meeting in London.
The Premier League side enquired about the conditions required to sign the forward, while Atletico used the same meeting to discuss a potential move for Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson.
According to journalist Nicolo Schira, Chelsea were keen to understand the terms necessary to complete a deal for Alvarez, as Atletico registered their own interest in Jackson.
British media report that Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali have now landed in Spain to hold direct discussions regarding the transfer.
Chelsea are confident they can finalise an agreement this week, with reports suggesting Alvarez has already accepted personal terms with the London club.
Atletico continue to demand 150 million for the forward, but the Spanish side could accept an offer of 120 million that Chelsea have reportedly submitted. The coming days will be key to the outcome.
Relationship breakdown
The negotiations come amid a total breakdown in relations between Alvarez, his representatives, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. Atletico blame the player's camp for the ongoing tension.
His recent return to the Metropolitano stadium confirmed the rupture and forced the club to act quickly to resolve a conflict that is now affecting the dressing room.
The tension recently prompted a direct intervention from Atletico chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin, who overruled manager Diego Simeone regarding the player's schedule.
Simeone had planned to protect Alvarez, nicknamed The Spider, by leaving him out of the matchday squad. The forward missed the game against Malaga and was scheduled to sit out against Villarreal.
The manager intended to give the Argentine three matches away from the team before he returned to face the home fans at the Metropolitano against Osasuna in mid-September.
However, Gil Marin ordered Alvarez to be included in the squad against his manager's wishes.
The chief executive wanted to subject Alvarez to what was described as a humiliation therapy in front of the home supporters. The strategy was designed to either force the player to change his attitude or compel him to accept a 150 million transfer to Arsenal before the transfer window closes.
Alvarez refused that proposal, opening the door for Chelsea to emerge as a surprise candidate.
Striker swap options
The London meeting between Chelsea and Atletico highlighted the possibility of cross-negotiations involving multiple forwards, though no official progress has been confirmed.
Atletico are seeking to bring Jackson to Spain, but they face competition from another English club. Aston Villa are also actively working on a deal to sign the Chelsea forward.
