Arsenal are continuing to keep an eye on Julian Alvarez, the Atletico Madrid striker who is reportedly wanted by several clubs, including Barcelona. The Argentine international’s preference is to join Barcelona, but the Gunners remain interested in the player, who has been valued by his current club at a price that is yet to be matched by any potential buyer.
The interest in Alvarez comes as Arsenal are also exploring a move for Club Brugge winger Christos Tzolis, who is one of their primary targets to replace Leandro Trossard. According to Sky Sports News, Arsenal have a long-standing admiration for Tzolis, and the conditions of a deal have been explored. However, so far, there has been no club-to-club contact. Club Brugge would want in the region of £34m for Tzolis, which would be a Belgian Pro League record.
The situation surrounding Alvarez’s future is complex, with Barcelona’s current bid of just over £100m remaining on the table. However, sources in Spain are indicating that the Catalan club could raise their offer after the World Cup. Atletico Madrid, on the other hand, do not want to sell and are almost certain to continue their stance of refusing to let Alvarez go. The relationship between the clubs is at an all-time low, amid a public spat on social media, and Atletico’s CEO Miguel Gil Marin has accused Barcelona of “disrespecting us”.
Arsenal’s sporting director Andrea Berta, who held the same role at Atletico Madrid before moving to the Emirates last year, is likely to play a key role in the negotiations. Berta’s knowledge of the club and its players could give Arsenal an advantage in their pursuit of Alvarez. However, the gap between the clubs’ valuations of the Argentina international is significant, and it remains to be seen whether Arsenal are willing to meet Atletico’s demands.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that Alvarez is booked to go on holiday after his World Cup campaign with Argentina comes to an end. He will then return to pre-season training with Atletico, where there will almost certainly be talks with the club’s hierarchy about his future. It is understood that privately, Atletico are more open to the idea of selling him to Arsenal or PSG – if Alvarez demands to leave the Metropolitano for any club.
The outcome of this saga will be closely watched by fans of all the involved clubs. With Barcelona’s current bid remaining on the table, it is unclear whether Arsenal will be able to meet Atletico’s demands and secure the signing of Alvarez. Meanwhile, the pursuit of Tzolis continues, with the Club Brugge winger remaining a primary target for the Gunners. As the summer transfer window heats up, one thing is clear: the future of these players is far from certain.
Source: Sky Sports
