Arsenal have offered 150 million euros for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez as the Argentine enters the final days of the transfer window.
The London club reactivated their interest in the forward with less than a week remaining before the transfer deadline, placing them in a strong position to meet Atletico's valuation.
Alvarez continues to prioritize a move to Barcelona, but the Catalan side faces major financial hurdles after Atletico rejected an earlier 100 million euro proposal structured across six installments in early June.
Atletico Madrid maintain a firm stance regarding their star forward, who signed a contract binding him to the Metropolitano until June 30, 2030. The Madrid club has consistently pointed interested clubs to the 500 million euro release clause in his contract.
Executives at Atletico are determined not to sell Alvarez to Barcelona, refusing to strengthen a direct rival in LaLiga. However, a potential deal with a foreign team such as Arsenal would be viewed differently by the Spanish club.
Arsenal offer and 24-hour deadline
Arsenal's 150 million euro bid comes with specific conditions set by the English Premier League side. The Gunners want Atletico Madrid to take responsibility for convincing Alvarez to accept the move to London.
Under Arsenal's terms, the Argentine striker has a window of barely 24 hours to give his green light to the transfer. If Alvarez does not agree within that timeframe, Arsenal plan to pursue alternative attacking options.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has tracked Alvarez for some time and attempted to speak directly with the player to gauge his interest in returning to English football. Alvarez did not answer Arteta's call, though Spanish sports newspaper Marca reported that the forward has opened the door to Arsenal for the first time and could leave Atletico.
Barcelona reserves and Flick stance
Barcelona have not given up on signing Alvarez and have set aside approximately 130 million euros for a final attempt before the transfer window closes. The main obstacle remains persuading Atletico Madrid to negotiate his departure.
Despite Arsenal's offer, Alvarez prioritizes Barcelona as his preferred destination and is willing to wait for movement from the Spanish giants before considering other options. This stance has complicated Arsenal's transfer plans.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick and sporting director Deco have decided the club will not sign another striker if they fail to land Alvarez. Flick believes he already possesses internal squad alternatives to cover the central attacking position.
Asked about the prospective transfer, Flick avoided publicly fueling speculation. The German manager said he believed the Barcelona president had made a clear statement on the matter, noting that Deco and he were in total agreement with it.
Training absence and fan reaction
Speculation surrounding Alvarez's future has spilled into matchdays at the Metropolitano Stadium. Alvarez came on in the 66th minute of Atletico's 2-2 draw against Villarreal, where he was met with whistles and boos from a section of supporters following a summer dominated by his desire to join Barcelona, according to news agency EFE.
Tension increased further when Alvarez missed Atletico's Wednesday training session in Majadahonda under manager Diego Simeone due to illness. The striker suffered an indisposition after a difficult night, forcing him to miss the session.
Atletico expect the setback to be temporary and anticipate Alvarez will be available for Saturday's LaLiga match against Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium.
