Arsenal ‘finalising’ first summer signing worth astonishing club record fee as world-class superstar says yes to Berta – report | OneFootball

Arsenal are closing on the signing of Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez after sporting director Andrea Berta was given a resounding yes by the World Cup winner to move to north London this summer, according to strong reports in the Spanish media.

The Gunners are hoping to recover from the disappointment of Sunday’s Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City to win the Premier League for the first time in 22 years, and currently boast a nine-point cushion on Pep Guardiola’s side, though the Blues do have a game in hand and are still to host Arsenal in a huge clash at the Etihad on April 19.

And with Mikel Arteta’s side also through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and Champions League, hopes are still burning bright that this will prove one of the most successful seasons in the club’s history.

As with any side, though, the process of evolving and improving is never complete. And while Arsenal invested heavily on signing striker Viktor Gyokeres last summer, the jury remains out over whether the Swede can be considered a success.

As a result, TEAMtalk exclusively broke the news on January 22 that Arsenal had held ‘discreet talks’ over a deal to bring former City striker Alvarez back to the Premier League this summer.

And while it has since emerged that both Chelsea and Barcelona are also in the mix for Alvarez‘s signature – we have been informed that Barcelona would be the player’s preference, though the finances around such a deal look tough – strong reports in the Spanish media now claim Berta has capitalised on the hesitancy of us to close in on an agreement for his signing.

The report claims that the striker ‘already has a new team’ in the form of Arsenal, with Alvarez ‘already close to finalising the terms of his arrival’. The report adds that Arsenal ‘accelerates and convinces the player’ after ‘the London club offers him both sporting and contractual guarantees, something that isn’t entirely assured at Barca due to the financial constraints that continue to affect their planning’.

Furthermore, it’s claimed that ‘Arsenal have positioned themselves quickly and decisively’ and that ‘their sporting project, already established among Europe’s elite, has been key in convincing Julian Alvarez’.

In addition, it’s said he ‘sees London as an ideal setting to continue his development’, having been sold on having ‘an important role within the team and the opportunity to compete at the highest level in all competitions’.

It adds: ‘One of the key factors has been the ease with which the deal was finalised. Arsenal can guarantee his registration without depending on external factors, which provides peace of mind for both the player and his representatives.

‘Furthermore, the Premier League presents itself as the perfect platform for him to establish himself as one of the most complete strikers on the international stage.’

Alvarez has open mind on future as Arsenal price tag emerges

Alvarez recently addressed his future at Atletico Madrid and appeared to offer no guarantees that he would still be with the Spanish giants next season.

“I don’t know. Maybe yes, maybe no. I have nothing to say other than I’m happy,” the 26-year-old responded when asked whether he will be at Atletico Madrid next season.

“On social media, a lot of things get talked about, but it’s nothing. We’re very happy competing in all competitions, so everything is going very well.”

Alvarez, who joined Atletico in a €95m (£81.8m, $110m) move from City in summer 2024, has scored 46 goals in exactly 100 games for the Rojoblancos.

It’s reported that any deal will likely cost Arsenal around €125m (£108.2m, $145m), which will represent a new club record fee for the Gunners, smashing the £105m package paid to West Ham for Declan Rice in 2023.

As for Atletico, they are already accepting that Alvarez is likely to leave this summer and have been actively working on potential replacements.

TEAMtalk exclusively reported last week that the capital club are looking extensively at the signing of a former Manchester United man to help fill the void.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid have received a huge boost in their quest to sign Myles Lewis-Skelly from Arsenal in the summer transfer window, while Los Blancos president Florentino Perez plans to strike a blow to the Gunners’ chances of securing the services of Ivan Fresneda.

Elsewhere, we can exclusively reveal that Arsenal are continuing to do extensive groundwork on a brilliant Ligue 1 midfield prodigy, with the teenager emerging as one of the most closely monitored young players ahead of the summer window.

In other news, Berta is eyeing a move for another exciting Brazilian in the form of an upcoming Flamengo centre-back.

The 16-year-old is considered one of the most exciting talents in South America, and Arsenal, under Berta’s guidance, are discussing a potential move for him.