Barcelona hands Arsenal a boost in the race for Alvarez

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Just Arsenal News

·9 September 2026

Barcelona hands Arsenal a boost in the race for Alvarez

Barcelona and Arsenal are the two clubs showing the strongest interest in Julian Alvarez, even though the Argentinian prefers to join the Catalan side.

Arsenal still hope to sign him, with their optimism stemming from the belief that Atletico Madrid will not sell him to Barcelona. The Madrid side have made their position clear, which could give the Gunners encouragement in their pursuit of the forward.

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Alvarez insists he will only leave Atletico for the Catalans, which is why he did not agree to the Gunners’ proposal and remains with his current club for another season. His stance made it impossible for Arsenal to complete the move during the summer.

Arsenal could return in January

The January transfer window will provide Alvarez with another opportunity to change clubs, and Arsenal will be willing to spend heavily to make the move happen. The Gunners did not sign an alternative during the summer after Alvarez rejected their approach, leaving the door open for them to return for the forward.

Barcelona remain interested as well, but there has been a boost for Arsenal. TNT Sports say the Catalans will not make a move for Alvarez during the January window, giving the Gunners an opportunity to strengthen their position in the race.

Barcelona have no plans to push for his signing again this season and will instead focus on their current squad until the end of the campaign. That means Arsenal could have an opportunity to convince Alvarez to make the move to the Emirates in January.

(Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Alvarez remains Arsenal’s biggest concern

It remains unclear whether Alvarez would be open to joining Arsenal if he is denied a move to Catalonia. His preference for Barcelona remains a major factor in the transfer situation and could prevent the Gunners from securing his signature.

Arsenal will therefore need to do more than convince Atletico to consider a deal. They must also persuade Alvarez that moving to the Emirates is the right option for him if Barcelona do not pursue his signing in January.

That remains Arsenal’s biggest disadvantage in the race to add Alvarez to their squad. While the Gunners could have a clear opportunity to negotiate for him, his preference for Barcelona means they still face a significant challenge in completing the transfer.

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