Barcelona's refusal to quit Alvarez pursuit deals Arsenal fresh transfer blow

Arsenal’s bid to sign Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid has been complicated further after Barcelona president Joan Laporta publicly reaffirmed his club’s determination to land the Argentina striker this summer.

Laporta said on Wednesday: “The truth is that we are very interested in the player and we would like our offer to be accepted. We say this with all respect to Atletico Madrid and we want them to know that, if they are open to selling in this summer transfer window, we would be willing to buy the player in accordance with the offer we have submitted to them.”

Atletico Madrid have previously stated there is “zero chance” of selling Alvarez to Barcelona, their La Liga rivals, which had appeared to hand Arsenal an opening. Mikel Arteta is understood to be a significant admirer of the 25-year-old, and the Gunners have not abandoned hope of completing a deal. However, Barcelona’s continued public pressure keeps the situation in flux.

Reports from Spain on Wednesday added that Alvarez missed a training session due to illness, a development that only deepens the uncertainty surrounding his immediate future at the Metropolitano.

Time is becoming a factor for Arsenal. The club are close to finalising the sale of Gabriel Martinelli to Al Hilal in a deal worth in excess of £50 million, which includes a 15 per cent sell-on clause. They are also looking to move on Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira before the window closes.

Despite the outgoings, sources close to the club suggest Arsenal believe their squad is strong enough regardless of whether the Alvarez deal materialises, indicating the pursuit is an upgrade rather than a necessity. That pragmatic stance may ultimately determine how aggressively they push to outmanoeuvre Barcelona in the final weeks of the transfer window.