Arsenal named ‘only escape route’ for Alvarez as Romano issues update after Real Madrid offer | OneFootball

According to reports, Arsenal are the ‘only escape route’ for Atletico Madrid star Julian Alvarez after Real Madrid’s £129m offer for the forward.

Alvarez has been mooted as a dream target for Arsenal ahead of this summer’s transfer window, especially because the Premier League winners are expected to strengthen their attack this summer.

Gunners head coach Mikel Arteta previously worked with Alvarez at Manchester City, and he has developed into one of Europe’s leading forwards since joining Atletico Madrid.

The 26-year-old has 66 goal involvements in his 106 appearances for Atletico Madrid across all competitions. Barcelona and PSG have also been consistently linked with him in recent months, but Real Madrid have rivalled these sides with a £129m rejected offer over the past 24 hours.

Upon confirming the rejected bid for Alvarez, Real Madrid’s statement read: “Real Madrid CF announces that, following today’s Board of Directors meeting, it has made an offer of 150 million euros to Club Atletico de Madrid for the federative rights of the player Julian Alvarez.

“After studying and evaluating it, Atletico de Madrid has thanked the club for the offer, made within the framework of the good relations existing between both clubs, and has rejected it, referring to the player’s release clause.”

To which Atletico Madrid responded on X: “You must have confused politeness with gratitude, but so there is no doubt: we do not thank you for anything.

“We neither studied nor evaluated any offer for Julian.”

Fabrizio Romano reveals update as Arsenal named Julian Alvarez’s ‘only escape route’

Now, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Real Madrid have “not” immediately come back in with an improved offer for Alvarez.

Romano said on X: “Real Madrid have not immediately returned with new bid for Julián Álvarez and any discussion is considered on stand-by.

“Atlético insist on not for sale stance and believe €150m bid was just a strategic move by Real Madrid.”

Our colleagues at TEAMtalk, meanwhile, have stated that Alvarez has been ‘flattered’ by Real Madrid’s move, while there are ‘big obstacles’ in the way of his ‘dream’ move to Barcelona due to the potential cost of the deal and the strained relations between them and Atletico Madrid.

It remains to be seen whether Alvarez will open the door to a club other than Barcelona, but Spanish journalist Jose Felix Diaz claims Arsenal are currently his ‘only escape route’ from Atletico Madrid.