ONE TOUCH SUMMARY
- Julian Alvarez skipped Atletico Madrid training after being told the club will not sell him to Barcelona.
- Atletico Madrid have reiterated their stance against a Barcelona move but remain open to selling Alvarez to Arsenal.
- Arsenal are in advanced talks with Atletico for a potential transfer, with a fee of around 150 million euros discussed.
ONE TOUCH INSIGHT
Arsenal’s pursuit of Julian Alvarez hinges on one thing: the player’s willingness to give up his Barcelona dream and accept a move to North London. Atletico Madrid have made it clear they will not negotiate with Barcelona, reiterating in two statements that there is a 0% chance of a sale to Barca, while openly entertaining Arsenal’s interest and setting a fee of 150 million euros. Mateu Alemany’s London talks and the positive club‑to‑club discussions show a deal is possible if Alvarez gives the green light.
The striker’s absence from training for two days, officially blamed on illness, reads as a signal that he is not ready to report while the Barcelona option remains off the table. Until Alvarez publicly confirms he will play for Arsenal, the transfer remains stalled despite the agreed financial framework.
The decisive moment will be when Alvarez returns to training and speaks to the press, revealing whether he has accepted Arsenal’s offer or is holding out for another route.
WHY IT MATTERS
This situation highlights the growing influence of player power in modern football, where a star's refusal to train can force a club's hand despite public stance. Alvarez's World Cup pedigree and Arsenal's need for a prolific striker make this a pivotal summer transfer saga.
Julian Alvarez
ST
Argentina
Strengths
- ✓Clinical finishing in tight spaces
- ✓Intelligent movement off the ball
- ✓Ability to link play and press from the front
- ⚠Can he adapt to the physicality of the Premier League?
- ⚠Will his motivation remain high if he sees Arsenal as a second choice?
TACTICAL FIT
Alvarez's versatility as a forward who can play centrally or wide would add depth and goal threat to Arsenal's attacking options, complementing their existing frontline and allowing Arteta greater tactical flexibility in high-stakes matches.
THE DEBATE
Should Arsenal pay over 120 million pounds for a player who wants to go elsewhere?
Julian Alvarez reached the World Cup final with Argentina this summer
By
Senior football correspondent
- Julian Alvarez has not attended Atletico Madrid training since being told privately the club would not sell him to Barcelona and it appears the striker's only way out is with a move toArsenal.
Sources told BBC Sport that Atletico communicated privately to Alvarez and his advisers earlier this week that they will not negotiate with the Catalan club over a move for the Argentina international.
The 26-year-old has since missed two consecutive days of training citing illness.
The La Liga club also released two public statements in the space of 24 hours reiterating their stance that Alvarez will not be granted his wish to join Barca in the coming days.
Atletico, however, are open to selling Alvarez to Arsenal and have held direct talks with the Premier League champions over what would be one of the biggest transfers of the summer.
Atleti director Mateu Alemany was in London last week, where he is understood to have met with Arsenal counterparts - and made clear his side would seek a fee of 150m euros (£128m).
Mikel Arteta is desperate to sign Alvarez this month but his steadfast desire to join Barcelona has seen Arsenal's pursuit halted.
However, it is understood discussions between Atletico and Arsenal over a club-to-club agreement for Alvarez have been positive.
Indeed, in the event of Alvarez giving Arsenal the green light to proceed with his signing in the coming days, a deal should move quickly.
On Wednesday, in response to comments from Barcelona president Joan Laporte in which he insisted they still wanted to sign Alvarez, Atletico released a statement that read: "There is 0% chance of selling him to Barca."
The Atletico board doubled down on their stance on Thursday, releasing their own statement that read: "The members of Atletico de Madrid's board of directors have unanimously expressed their absolute support for the club's decision to not negotiate the transfer of Julian Alvarez to FC Barcelona."
AI-assisted · generated from BBC Sport reporting, not editor reviewed
