Arsenal make new move to convince Barcelona target Julian Alvarez amid Atletico Madrid tensions | OneFootball

Arsenal are set to make fresh contact with Julian Alvarez’s camp in the coming hours, as the London club steps up their pursuit of the Atletico Madrid striker before the transfer window shuts.

According to Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari, representatives for Arsenal will speak directly with Alvarez’s entourage in an attempt to change his mind about a return to English football. 

The Argentine has so far knocked back the idea for personal reasons, but Arsenal believe there is still room to convince him.

More details emerge

Alvarez’s position has been consistent throughout the window. 

Despite interest from two of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Barcelona, he has resisted the idea of walking away from Spanish football and heading back to the Premier League, a competition he left behind when he moved from Manchester City to Atletico Madrid.

That resistance has not stopped Arsenal, who see him as the man to solve their search for a genuine central striker. 

Mikel Arteta’s side have been searching for reinforcements up front for several transfer windows, and Alvarez remains high on their shortlist.

Arsenal will establish contacts with Julian Alvarez’s agents. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

The renewed contact suggests Arsenal are not prepared to let the opportunity slip without one more push, even with speculation building over an increasingly uneasy atmosphere between the player and his current club.

Why this matters

Meanwhile, Barcelona’s involvement is a well-known fact. 

The Catalan club had long been credited with interest in Alvarez, but their move for Gabriel Jesus from Arsenal has eased the pressure on them to find a new number 9 immediately.

However, that does not mean Barcelona have walked away for good. 

Sources close to the club indicate the plan is to revisit a move for Alvarez when the January window opens, once the financial and structural circumstances around the deal might look different.

Atletico Madrid, for their part, have made their position clear throughout the summer: there will be no negotiation with Barcelona over their prized forward. 

Barcelona have finalised Gabriel Jesus’ signing. (Photo by James Fearn/Getty Images)

Alvarez himself appears to have accepted that a move to Camp Nou will not happen in the short term, even if it remains his preferred destination in the long run.

For Arsenal, this creates a window of opportunity. 

With Barcelona effectively on pause until the new year, Alvarez’s future for the remainder of this transfer period rests largely on how Arsenal’s renewed approach lands with his camp, and on how much further his situation at Atletico Madrid deteriorates.

So what happens now?

Alvarez’s reluctance to leave Spain has been the single biggest obstacle to any transfer materialising this summer. 

However, Arsenal continue to be banking on the current tension between player and club, creating an opening that did not exist a few weeks ago.

Barcelona stepping back, even temporarily, works in Arsenal’s favour. 

It removes a rival suitor from the equation and gives Arsenal a clearer run at convincing Alvarez that a return to the Premier League, on his terms, could be the right move now rather than later.